Skills Canada - Ontario

Ms Skills - From the Executive Director

2012-03-08T14:16:00.001-05:00

Hello Ontario:

It’s International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate the accomplishments of women around the world and the triumphs we’ve achieved, while recognizing the challenges and important goals that lie ahead. At Skills Canada-Ontario, we’re proud to offer many women’s initiatives that show young girls the world of opportunity that is open to them in the skilled trades and technologies.

Our Skills Work!® for Women Networking Dinners, give female secondary students the opportunity to chat with skilled tradeswomen in a casual environment. Participants speak to female mentors working in all five major sectors – construction, industrial, motive power, service and technology – and leave with the knowledge that there are many more post-secondary options than they had probably ever considered before.

Similarly, our Young Women’s Conferences, offered as part of the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC), give girls lots of information, as well as inspiration and confidence, to think about how they can pursue one of the more than 150 rewarding skilled trade careers that are available today. These day-long conferences feature presentations, networking, lunch, and a tour of the OTSC.

Together with Women in Nuclear (WiN) Canada, we were pleased to launch a publication last November that identifies and refutes some of the misconceptions that surround women working in the skilled trades. This report, Womenworking in the Skilled Trades Myths and Realities, is available as a downloadable PDF in the Resources section of our website; I invite you to have a look!

On International Women’s Day, let’s commend the trailblazing women who worked in skilled trades careers back in the “old days,” when these were thought of as jobs for men. They proved that, as Ann Nesbitt of Bruce Power says, “They’re not masculine skills, they’re just skills.” Though there may still be some barriers in perception to be broken down, the sky is the limit for young women wishing to embrace the opportunities that exist in these satisfying and worthwhile careers. Happy International Women’s Day to you all!

Gail Smyth

Skills Work!® for Women – Anne Giardini, Red Seal General Machinist

2011-12-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

Inthe mid-1990s, many companies were downsizing and employees in a variety ofjobs and sectors were panicking over job security. This economic climate entered into AnneGiardini’s life in 1995, when she was an administrative assistant at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). Instead of waiting to be downsized, Anneentered a tool & die apprenticeship within the organization. And with a what-have-I-got-to-lose attitude,Anne’s career path took a sharp 90-degree turn. The rest, as they say, is history.

Onceshe was certified as a General Machinist, Anne was promoted to Project Leaderafter only five years on the shop floor. In addition to her machining duties, that makes Anne also responsiblefor project assessment, ordering materials and meeting inspectionrequirements. One of her currentprojects at AECL involves manufacturing control rod magnet assembles for theresearch reactor. The project involvescreating and overseeing work from her own shop, as well as work contracted outto four other shops.

Annewas fortunate to enter the trades when she did. For one thing, she found that even once she was certified in her trade,having a clerical background with computer experience was extremely helpful. For another, she found that having somecareer experience enabled her to have a more positive attitude. “I knew that I would get resistance from someof the guys, but since I started my career later in life, my maturity and lifeexperiences were a definite asset.” Still today, Anne loves her work for its variety and hands-on nature.

It’sdifficult to find someone with more enthusiasm about women in skilled tradesthan Anne. She has been a dedicatedmentor at the “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinners and YoungWomen’s Conferences for several years. She is also an active member of Women in Nuclear, a global organization that connects womenworking within the nuclear power field. Herrole as Deputy Mayor for the Town of Laurentian Hills probably doesn’t hurt herefforts either!

Anne’sbasic message to young women boils down to this: “It is definitely a good career option. The money is good and many times you get tobe your own boss. There is a greatnetwork of women who will give support, so take advantage of it.”

Annewas a mentor at the November 16th “Skills Work!^® for Women”Networking Dinner in Pembroke.

Skills Work!® On The Road – Far North Region

2011-12-05T16:56:00.001-05:00

Promoting skilled trades and inspiring young women

Weldersand hairstylists and structural technicians, oh my! These were just some of the amazing careersthat were represented by women at the 2011-2012 “Skills Work!^® forWomen” Networking Dinner in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Young women came from as faraway as Marathon (3 hours away) to join in an evening of mingling,laughing, learning and sharing with other students and with women who work in the skilled trades and technologies.

Let me first back up a couple of years and tell you about my first encounterwith the “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinner. In 2008, a friend had told me about thiswonderful event where I could come out and represent women who work within theTechnology sector (an area I was currently working in and had been for about 5years). I jumped at the chance to beable to share my stories, knowledge and maybe even change one young woman’slife. The thought that I had the powerto help build confidence in young women was something I always strived for, andcontinue to, to this day. All youngwomen need to know that anything they want is within their reach and to neverlet gender barriers affect who they are and who they want to become.

Now,fast forward to 2011 where, after 2 years of being a mentor to young women atthe “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinner, I am nowfacilitating them as a member of the Skills Canada-Ontario staff.

Themost recent Networking Dinner I facilitated was in Thunder Bay on November 17^th. It has been different working outside ofthe mentor role at these events, but it is still equally as invigorating toknow the difference that I am able to make to these young women by bringingthem together with so many other wonderful mentors from our community. Having spent those couple of years as amentor, I was all the more eager to find any and all women who work within theskilled trades and technology industries, because I know firsthand, the amazingaffect it can have on the young women and how valuable this experience is foreveryone involved.

With a fantastic group of young women from the area and excited and dynamicmentors from throughout Thunder Bay the event was a wonderful success. Women from all sectors; industrial,construction, motive power, service and technology were all very wellrepresented. This gave the young women arare, firsthand opportunity to hear the stories of these women and find outwhat life truly is like for them in their non-traditional roles.

The event was filled with empowerment and inspiration. The best word for this event is “special.” It was truly special and so enlightening towatch these young women have an event to feel and realize that THEY are specialand they really can achieve anything they want. The girls left with new friends, a newfoundconfidence and lasting memories. I am sograteful that we at Skills Canada – Ontario are able to help these young womenrealize their potential and see the world in a different light.

JessicaMurphy, LiaisonOfficer

Far North Region

Skills Work!® for Women – Amanda Young, Electrician

2011-11-28T08:13:00.001-05:00

Electricalwork is hard. There’s a lot of math andphysics involved, the work can be quite physically demanding, and travel forwork can be extensive. But if you talkto Amanda Young, you’ll find that what can be the most challenging is workingwith so many different people. Whetherin a classroom or on a job site, the group dynamics are something that must bemanaged. However, especially that she’snow teaching her trade, Amanda finds that the people are also the mostenjoyable part of her job.

Aftertrying floristry and early childhood education, Amanda’s desire for a higherincome turned her attention to becoming an electrician. After starting as a labourer, and then goingthrough her electrical apprenticeship, she’s now had her ticket for about 10 years. She’s worked on a variety of jobs over theyears, even taking her to the oil sands in Alberta.

“Itwas amazing. We were in an isolatedarea, but there were 2000 people working in the camp. Hundreds of buses were transporting peopleback and forth all the time, all different shifts and all differenttrades. And there were 6 camps likethis.” She also enjoyed getting to usetools and machinery that she never would otherwise have seen, and to travel toplaces she may not have visited. Forfree, no less!

Inrecent years, Amanda has turned more toward teaching. Over the past six years, she has taughtintermittently at Georgian College, and now she is the Lead Teacher for theElectrical Techniques program at Georgian. Not only is she responsible for her own classes, but three otherteachers report to her, plus she has the responsibility of looking afterprogram needs such as tools, materials, textbooks and curricula. Amanda’s passion for teaching has providedher with a number of other opportunities to speak to youth about her career,including through the YMCA, WIST (Women in Skilled Trades) and Women on Words.

Themost important thing to remember going into an apprenticeship is that it canbe demanding. You don’t always get to dowhat you want, but you need to learn what you can, and stick it out until youget to the point where you can pick and choose your jobs. Math skills are important, and you need to beversatile.

Particularlyfor young women, Amanda's advice is this: “beprepared for obstacles, and bring a positive attitude. It’s easy to get dragged down by others’attitudes and behaviours. Try to look atyour workmates as people, not just a bunch of guys. If you have confidence in yourself, thepeople you work with will reflect that.”

Amandawas a mentor at this year’s “Skills Work!^® for Women” NetworkingDinner in Barrie on November 15, 2011.

Skills Work!® What’s Out There?

2011-11-24T08:50:00.001-05:00

Sheet Metal Workers

Normally, when people think of construction careers, the first to come to mind are carpenter, plumber or electrician. Construction is the largest sector in the skilled trades, so there are plenty of reasons to look around and see what other options exist!

For this installment of our career profile series, we’ll be looking at Sheet Metal Workers. The basic definition of this job is to shear, form, fabricate, weld, solder and assemble a host of items made from galvanized iron, sheetsteel, copper, nickel alloy, stainless steel, aluminum, plastics and ceramics. The most commonly recognized sheet metal work is roof decking, eavestroughs and ducting/ventilation systems. Once upon a time, sheet metal workers were known as tinsmiths. Just think of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz and you get the idea!

Sheet metal workers also perform these duties:

Read engineering and architectural drawings and sketches of work to be performed
Lay out, measure and mark sheet metal according to drawings or templates
Develop patterns for sheet metal using computer-assisted design and drafting (CADD) software package
Operate light metal-working machines such as shears, brakes, punches and drill presses to cut, bend, punch, drill, shape or straighten sheet metal
Operate computerized laser or plasma-cutting equipment to cut sheet metal
Fit and join sheet metal parts using riveter, welding, soldering and similar equipment
Install sheet metal products according to specifications and building codes
Grind and buff seams, joints and rough surfaces
Inspect product quality and installation to ensure conformance to specifications

Workplaces/Employers
Primary steel producers, aircraft and parts manufacturers, building construction companies

Salary Range

$12 - $37 per hour, approximately $25,000 - $76,900 per year
(Remember, average salaries include apprenticeship wages, and are exclusive of vacation pay, overtime pay and health benefits.)

Education Required
9000 apprenticeship hours (approximately 4-5 years)
OR
College – check out www.ontariocolleges.ca to search options!

Helpful Skills

Aptitude for science and math
Interest in computers and technology
Comfortable working in a variety of environments
Able to read and interpret technical drawings

Contact your local or regional branch of the Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Union for more information.

Career Management Tip - Resume Components

When you’re writing your resume it’s important to be aware of what the reader will want to see.

Answering these questions will help you focus during the resume writing process.

For whom are you writing this document? Who is your target audience?
What competencies need to be highlighted? What do you do better than those in the same position?
What have you done that demonstrates those competencies and differentiators?
Why, how and what were the results and/or benefits of your activities? Quantifying and qualifying your accomplishments is important.
What is the best resume format to capture and present this information?

Must-Have Resume Components
Regardless of style or format, resumes tend to contain similar components, depending on your defined target.

Vital Statistics – Every resume should include your name, address, phone number, and email. If it’s relevant to the position you are applying to, you may also want to include your online portfolio, blog, or LinkedIn URL.
Profile or Career Summary – A thumbnail sketch of who you are and what you have done with specific competencies you want to take forward or that are particularly marketable.
Business Experience – This includes the company’s name, and possibly a brief description, or scope statement of what that company does, years employed, job titles and dates of employment.
Scope of Responsibility Statements – Put these under each job title. It can include reporting structure, the functional areas you supported and budget size or revenue you oversaw.
Accomplishment Statements – Specific examples of what you have done and the associated results and benefits.
Education and Professional Development – Include both your formal education and other courses, seminars and workshops that are relevant to your target market. List this information in reverse chronological order, but be selective as to the ones that are included. You should include items that will add value to your resume.

In our next career management tip we will focus on writing a GREAT resume profile. Stay tuned!

Skills Work!® for Women – Kayne Shaw, Landscaper

2011-11-07T15:50:00.002-05:00

Toborrow a phrase, Kayne Shaw is a classic “Jackie of all trades.” Some of the jobs contained within her job asa Landscaper are Density Technician, Field Testing Technician, Heavy EquipmentOperator and Truck Driver. Not to mentionshe’s a Health and Safety representative at Darryl’s Custom Landscapes. Oh, and she’s a part-time Firefighter for theTown of Fort Frances. No big deal.

Havingworked in the field for nine years, Kayne has asserted herself time and againon the job. She cites the most importantskill for her work as integrity. Much ofwhat she does involves materials testing, which requires a high degree of workethic and an unbiased view of the work itself. What also helps? Curiosity, and awillingness to develop new skills. Withso many bases to cover, it’s not a surprise that she thinks so! Her own educational background encompassedsome university, but is mainly comprised of “short-course” training in variousaspects of her job, such as Concrete Field Testing.

Kayne’sfavourite part of the job is the variety involved. No two days are the same. She encountered big attitudes from others whodidn’t know her and didn’t know her work ethic, but she has proven her skillover and over, and leaves no doubt in others’ minds about her abilities rightalongside men’s abilities. Her proudest accomplishment is earning the respectof her peers in industry.

AlthoughKayne did not actively pursue a career in the skilled trades, she seems to havelanded in the right place. “I believe Ihave ended up where I am due to varied circumstances. I love what I do and have no intention ofchanging careers.” Her advice to anyyoung women exploring careers?

“Geta degree or certificate in a field that you find interesting. Try new things asoften as you can. Listen to those with experience and ask questions.”

Kayne was a mentor at the recent "Skills Work!^® for Women" Networking Dinner in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Skills Work®! On The Road – Southwestern Ontario Region

2011-10-31T17:04:00.001-04:00

Well we’ve made it through this hectic year to the end of October already – andyet I'm still writing 2010 on all my paperwork. It’s like this year has gone by so fast itdidn’t even happen; and yet at the same time, so much has happened.

We’ve had an amazing start to the 2011/12 school year, with our 10liaison staff members already having booked and presented to almost 200 schoolsin the months of September and October alone!

Personally, I have spent the last two weeks visiting the schools in theSimcoe County District School Board, in and around the Barrie area. And what an incredible two weeks it has been! I’ve enjoyed so much of it, the enthusiasm shown by the students andteachers to the beautiful colours of fall that I saw on my everyday drives. Some mornings I was up early enough to catchthe sun rising over Lake Simcoe – a truly beautiful sight.

One of my more memorable presentations of these past two weeks was atMidland Secondary School, which is about a 3 hour drive from where I live inKitchener. Last year I had tried to getto Midland Secondary School twice, and both times had to cancel due to snowstorms – and one of those times was even in March! This year we decided to try October andcrossed our fingers that there would not be a white-out blizzard on the morningof the 13^th. We were in luck– I had a fabulous drive into Midland and was able to speak to all the grade 11& 12 students in their school. Theywere a big group, but were all really interested and very interactive duringthe presentation. I had many questionsand comments from students and even had two students come up after thepresentation to talk to me,and the OYAP Coordinator who booked the presentation. They were really interested in knowinghow they could get started in their apprenticeships in grade 12 through OYAP(the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program)in their school. When we finishedtalking they were both headed for the guidance office to start the process ofswitching into a CO-OP/OYAP course for the next school year.

It’s days like those that make us realize that we are actually making adifference in the presentations we give. From giving the students the information theyneed to take that next step of getting involved in an apprenticeship, toconnecting them opportunities in their schools, we are all contributing to thesuccess of today’s students in the skilled trades. And seeing a student’s face light up when theyare shown the hands-on education they can receive though an apprenticeship, aswell as the many benefits the skilled trades provide is always the highlight ofmy day. I'm sure that will never getold.

Brieanna Holm

Liaison Officer

A CUT ABOVE

2011-10-24T08:45:00.000-04:00

Lina Shamoun – Owner & Head Stylist, Artline Salon

Lina Shamoun is an award-winning hairstylist, entrepreneur, mentor and community leader. She is also a very proud alumnus of Skills Canada – Ontario (SCO), earning three consecutive Gold Medals in the Hairstyling contest at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC). Lina also represented Ontario at the National Skills Competition, earning a Gold medal in 2003 and a Bronze in 2004. (Click here for a complete list of all her accomplishments.)

Her pathway to success started almost unknowingly. Four years after she had immigrated to Canada she was sitting in her Cosmetology class at St. Mary’s High School in Kitchener when her teacher asked the class who would like to compete at upcoming the OTSC. Lina immediately raised her hand.

At the time she was still learning the English language and wasn’t really sure what the word “compete” meant, or what the OTSC was. However, after it was explained to her she was ready and willing for the challenge.

That moment was the spark for Lina that ignited an extreme passion for the fascinating world of competitive hairstyling and a very successful career.

Lina is now the owner of Artline Salon, a business she started in 2007. She has 6 full-time employees and is currently training her third apprentice. Her business has had considerable growth over the past four years to the point that she will now be moving to a larger facility.

We sat down with Lina to ask her a few questions about her career.

SCO: How did your experience with Skills Canada - Ontario help you in making your career choice?

LS: My first opportunity to compete at the OTSC was what made me really want to pursue a career in hairstyling. The experience gave me the drive and ambition to take my career to the next level and be the best in my field. That is why I continue to compete internationally as well as train the new talent at Artline and help them grow, compete and achieve significant results.

SCO: What continues to motivate you?

LS: Being able to train young individuals and anyone willing to grow. I was given so much support early in my career and I feel it’s important to give back. I want to be able to help others realize their dreams, just as I have been able to.

SCO: What about your career makes you happy?

LS: I love what I do and am excited to come to work every day and work with a great team. I also like that I am still able to challenge myself and learn new skills by competing in contests around the world and attending international conferences, seminars and shows.

SCO: How do you define success?

LS: There is a quote that I once read that says, “Preparation meeting opportunity equals success.” That is how I approach all areas of my life.

SCO: What are your future goals?

LS: I would like to establish a Hairstyling Academy. There is a very high dropout rate in our industry. I believe that if young stylists are better prepared for the challenges we can ensure that they go on to have very successful careers.

SCO: What three pieces of advice would you give to students considering a career in the skilled trades?

LS: First would be to learn as much as you can about the trade. The programs offered by SCO are a great start. Secondly, find a mentor. It is important to have someone who you can train you. Finally, see what opportunities are out there. Job shadow someone first so you know that the career choice is the right fit for you. Network with people in the industry so you educate yourself on what future career opportunities may be available.

Skills Work!® What’s Out There?

2011-10-13T21:37:00.000-04:00

We’re going to kick off our career profile series by taking a look at Electronic Service Technicians. In July 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities reported that the service sector continued to grow throughout the recession, particularly technical and professional services. Electronic Service Technicians are right in the centre of this rise!

Electronic Service Technicians

Have you ever appreciated the clarity of the movie on screen at a movie theatre? Do you like using gadgets, high-tech equipment, control panels and electronic read-out screens? Electronic service technicians keep up with technology. Often they test and repair the latest and greatest computer equipment and electronics that you love to use!

Specific Job Titles

Alarm system technician
Electronic service technician supervisor
Audio-video service technician
Computer service technician
Photocopy machine technician
Electronic service technician apprentice
Office equipment service technician
Radio and television service technician
Field service technician, electronic products

Workplaces/Employers
Manufacturing, utilities, armed forces, government, airlines, business services, transportation

Salary Range

$12 - $30 per hour, approximately $25,000 - $62,400 per year
(Remember, salaries include apprenticeship wages!)

Education Required
College – check out www.ontariocolleges.ca to search options!
OR
8000 apprenticeship hours (approximately 4 years)

Helpful Skills

Aptitude for science and math
Interest in computers and technology
Great people and communication skills

Visit the Electro-Federation Canada Installation Maintenance and Repair (IMR) Sector Council and Trade Association for more info: www.electrofed.com.

Career Management Tips: Resume Development
In the first of our career development tips we will focus on resume development. Your resume is a marketing document. It’s designed to sell you. Before you begin writing, take the time to review your interests, skills and goals. You will develop a long list of skills and experience throughout your career. Taking an inventory will help you determine what information should be included in your resume to achieve your target job.

Your finished resume should accomplish five things:

Define a clear focus and generate interest in your services
Pinpoint skills, accomplishments, competencies, and results
Project your style and personality
Set you apart from your competition
Compel your audience to find out more about you

To help, ask yourself questions like:

How do you want to be seen?
What skills and experience do you want to highlight?

More Helpful Resume Writing Hints

Resumes are scanned very quickly so it's critical your resume has a defined focus that will generate interest from your target audience.
While it’s recommended to have others review and offer opinions on your resume, it's extremely important that you are the author.
The tone of your resume and how it reads should reflect how you would verbally communicate during an interview.

Take your time. Your resume is a marketing document, and it will take time, thought and effort to develop.

Our next career management tip will include more facts and tips on writing a GREAT resume. Stay tuned!

Ms Skills - From The Executive Director

2011-10-10T09:34:00.000-04:00

Hello Ontario:

This is our last day in London, England. Last night’s awards ceremony was tremendous. I am so happy, and proud of Ryan Gomes, Aircraft Maintenance, and Jonathan Sinke, Cabinetmaking, who both earned bronze medals!!! John also earned the Best of Nation Award for Canada. They have worked extremely hard for this recognition – congratulations!

Thank you for reading my blog this week and sharing this wonderful experience with me.

Ms. Skills - Gail Smyth

Executive Director

Ms Skills - From The Executive Director

2011-10-07T13:01:00.002-04:00

Greetings from England:

Well, I have now officially seen it all! Today I saw three young women and one man who had their designed in the hairdressing competition: one was wearing condoms (and, no, I am not kidding), another was wearing syringes and a third one a tree! The man was wearing a CD player in his hair. Hopefully, these creations don’t become too popular!

I am happy to report that Ben was back competing today. He still doesn’t look too well but good for him for getting back in the game.

Tom Middlebro', Offset Printing, is doing extremely well. I stood with his parents today as he prepared his printing project. I think it was pretty obvious that we were all very proud of him.

Jonathan Sinke, Cabinetmaking, is also doing well. He is well on his way to finishing his project so he should be in good shape for tomorrow (last day of competition).

I love watching Ryan Gomes, Aircraft Maintenance; he is very focused...it’s pretty exciting to watch all of them compete!

The weather has turned cool so Fall has arrived in London, England. We are joining Gary Cronkwright for dinner in a few minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ms. Skills - Gail Smyth

Executive Director

Ms Skills - From the Executive Director

2011-10-06T15:48:00.002-04:00

Greetings from London, England, Day 7

Thanks to our new friend, Dr. Jane Lewis, from Cisco Systems Ltd., Ron and I had a very enjoyable “banquet” lunch at the Restaurant Servicing Contest. Jane was very kind and gave us her tickets so we could join six others for a very memorable meal. Our server was a very pleasant young woman from New Zealand.

We spent the entire day at the competition site from just after 9:00 a.m. and we just got back to our hotel a few minutes ago at 7:30 p.m. Today I saw something I never imagined seeing at a skills competition; for the “Have a go” exhibit for refrigeration, students were given the instructions to make a key chain and when they were finished they used their key chain for entry into a small ice rink!

I will be bringing home lots of ideas for our summer camp program and possibly the elementary workshops at this year’s OTSC.

It was nice to see Mary Wilson from WSIB at the Competition in England. Mary arrived on Monday and left for home today. Yesterday I saw Shaun Thorson, Carole Anne Ryan from Newfoundland, Claude Borque from Quebec, and Mark Bramer, the Canadian Expert in Cabinetmaking. Jonathan Sinke, Cabinetmaking Competitor, was with Mark. Johnathan’s family had a fundraiser for Jon in August of this year and Jon auctioned off two of his test projects for the London competition. I was delighted to learn that the table I purchased is the project that they are making here in London. It will always be a highlight of my London experience.

I stopped by the Mobile Robotic contest to speak briefly to Adrian Schut. Adrian is to be commended; his co-competitor, Benjamin Church, took sick with the stomach flu in the middle of the night and was unable to participate so Adrian competed alone today. They were sharing a hotel room but Adrian has been moved to a separate hotel room in the hopes that he won’t catch the bug that Ben has. Please keep them in your thoughts. I will be back at the competition site tomorrow morning and will report back again tomorrow night.

Good night for now,

Ms Skills - Gail Smyth
Executive Director

Ms Skills - From the Executive Director

2011-10-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

Greetings from London, England, Day 6

I want you to imagine, if you can, a competition site that is three times larger than RIM Park in Waterloo and the host site for the Ontario Technological Skills Competition! As I walked towards the Excel Centre and host of the 41^st World Skills Competition in London, England, I was informed by a guide that this site was 1 km in length and approximately ½ km in width and 1 million square feet – I know that for a fact because my feet are telling me that I walked 1 million square feet today.

All contest sites fit inside the Excel Centre including Gardening and Landscaping. Today there were thousands of very young people visiting the site; these students were kept entertained because there were many, many hands-on activities for them to try under the caption “Give it a Try”. I handed out maple sugar candies at the Skills Canada booth – they were a great hit with everyone. I was pleased to note that the students were also very, very polite and always said please and thank you.

The Ontario students competing at this competition are all doing well; they may be nervous inside but they are all looking very calm, cool and collected. I am proud to be here to witness their achievements.

It’s been another great day! I will be back in touch again tomorrow.

Warmest regards,

Ms Skills - Gail Smyth

Executive Director

Ms Skills - From the Executive Director

2011-10-04T19:29:00.000-04:00

Greetings from London, England, Day 5

Gary Cronkwright, Past Chair of the Board of Directors, arrived late last night – on time and with his luggage in hand. We met for breakfast this morning and then spent the day on a sightseeing tour of beautiful London. I am glad to report that I had a wonderful, and very uneventful day.

We just returned from the Opening Ceremony for WorldSkills London and it was an absolutely amazing ceremony. It began and ended with young people performing song, dance and drama from choirs from four nations: Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. We have discussed for years the need to make sure the ceremonies were youth friendly and tonight it was on the mark! It even started and ended on time, which was another first for a WorldSkills Opening Ceremony!

They announced that there were nearly 1,000 competitors from 50 countries competing over the next four days, and they are expecting over 200,000 visitors.

Tomorrow I will be heading to the ExCel Center for Day 1 of the competition. We are becoming quite the experts when manipulating our way on the “Tube,” and tomorrow will be another new experience. After having my first walk around the site, I will be staffing the booth at Canada House.

All the best,

Ms Skills - Gail Smyth
Executive Director

Ms Skills - From the Executive Director

2011-10-04T12:44:00.001-04:00

It'sfinally here! Team Canada is prepping and primping for the OpeningCeremonies of the World Skills Competition - WorldSkills London 2011. Ourvery own Gail Smyth is on site and will be sending us daily updates!

Greetingsfrom London, England:

At2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30^th, we (my husband, Ron, and I)arranged for a car to pick up at our house in Kitchener, Ontario and take us tothe airport to pick us up for our 5:00 p.m. flight to Detroit. The weather wasn’t terribly nice so wearrived at the airport shortly after 3:30 p.m. but still in lots of time tocatch our flight. Unfortunately, theflight from Detroit was late leaving Toronto so we arrived in Detroit 20minutes before our flight to London was scheduled to leave.

TheCaptain was very reassuring – “Don’t worry, no one is going to miss theirconnection" ...famous last words. Unfortunately, our gate seemed miles away from our departing gate andeven though we ran most of the way, our names were being called in the distanceand the plane left without us.

“Don’tworry,” said the young man at the gate, “we have you on a flight toAmsterdam.” So we ran again but thistime we were more fortunate even though we were the last two people on the plane. We had an uneventful flight to Amsterdam;unfortunately we had a five-hour wait for our flight to London, England. We have now been awake for 24 hours.

Wearrived safely in London, England and spent the next 1½ hours waiting for ouropportunity to speak to the Immigration Officer. We were beginning to get a little edgy witheach other, however, we anxiously went to collect our luggage and, guess what? No luggage. “Don’t worry,” said the nicegentleman at the complaint desk “you should have your luggage in two days.”

Disheartened,we nevertheless managed to figure out how to use the “Tube” and find our way tothe Jenkins Hotel where we will be staying for the next ten days during theWorld Skills Competition. I have asevere case of sleep apnea and, you guessed it, packed away in my missingsuitcase is my sleeping machine so, needless to say, I have had a few verysleepless nights.

Obviously,without clean clothes, we haven’t strayed too far from our hotel waitinganxiously for our luggage to arrive. Iam pleased to report that at 12:00 noon today our luggage arrived safe andsound.

Gail Smyth
Executive Director

Skills Work!® On The Road - Hamilton/Niagara

2011-10-01T09:50:00.001-04:00

To me September has always meant new beginnings. I know it is fall, the season where thingsdie and start to hibernate, but to Skills Canada-Ontario Liaison Officers theseason of fall is when it all begins!

This is my first September with Skills Canada-Ontario and ithas been busy! The first couple weeks of the new school year were spent in our headoffice in Kitchener. All the liaisonofficers came together to learn this year's “Skills Work!® What’s Out There?” in-school presentation. This year thepresentation has surpassed all of our expectations! I was excited to see howstudents would respond.

I hit the road to deliver my first presentations of the yearis a tiny town called Fonthill in the Niagara region. It was a beautiful day! The students at Fonthill welcomed me to theircountry school along with two little mice that decided to join thepresentation. The students were excited to learn about different opportunitesavailable to them and were especially interested in Renewable Energy projects. This doesn’t surprise me given that Fonthillhas a Specialized High Skills Major focused on this topic.

I also had a handful of girls interested in coming to the "Skills Work!® for Women" Networking Dinner in St. Catharines! This was exciting for me because this year Iam planning the dinner. These studentswere very excited to have the opportunity to meet other women who are alreadyin skilled trade and technology careers. I was thrilled to offer this opportunity to these girls.

Another exciting thing happened this week. I was able to schedule a presentation atParkview Secondary School. Parkview is aunique inner city school dedicated to helping students who are considered“at-risk.” The guidance counsellor wasexcited to take my phone call and thrilled that I would take the time topresent to her students. There is so muchpotential in them, and because of government grants and scholarships,they can get a great education at an affordable cost. I am looking forward to presenting at Parkview and show these students the opportunities that are available to them.

That’s all for On The Road in the Great Lakes region. I can’t wait to get out and present to moreschools!

April Albano
School Liaison Officer

Stage is set for the world's largest international skills competition

2011-09-19T15:03:00.000-04:00

Fivestudents from Ontario will compete for Team Canada at World Skills London 2011

Welcomeback friends! As much as we will missthe warm sunny days of summer, our team at Skills Canada – Ontario is excitedfor the start of the school year.

Strangeas that may sound, who wouldn’t be excited to cheer on five talented studentsfrom Ontario who will be in London, England from 5-8 October representing TeamCanada and demonstrating their “skill” on the world stage? Almost feels like the same infectiousexcitement that took over Canada when we hosted the Winter Olympics – OhCanada!

WorldSkillsLondon 2011 will be the world's largest, international skills Competition. Over 1,000 young people from more than 50countries/regions will be competing in 46 skill areas. The ultimate goal for each competitor is to be the best of the best intheir chosen contest area.

Thefive students from Ontario that will be competing for Team Canada are: JonathanSinke (Cabinetmaking); Ryan Gomes (Aircraft Maintenance); Tom Middlebro’(Offset Printing); and, Benjamin Church and Adrian Schut (Mobile Robotics). What an incredible experiencethis will be for these talented individuals.

I havethe privilege of travelling with Team Canada and will be writing a daily blogto share my experience with you. Staytuned for updates on our competitors and highlights from this internationalevent which is designed to inspire future generations of skilled, high-qualityprofessionals.

As youare probably well aware, but I think it’s worth repeating often, the mission ofSkills Canada – Ontario is to promote careers in the skilled trades andtechnologies as viable, first-choice career options for young people. WorldSkills London 2011 is just one of themany great opportunities that young people in Ontario have to explore theseexciting and rewarding career opportunities.

Thethousands of readers who followed our blog last year got a taste of theaward-winning programs and events we coordinate each year. This year, our readers will still get thesame exciting news, plus two new series. We will be profiling various skilled trade and technological careers,sharing career management tips, and introducing you to past competitors whohave gone on to have very successful careers. I hope you enjoy the new series.

On ourFacebook fan page this year we will have some exciting contests. There will be opportunities for our followersto win an iTunes gift card.

Finally,thank you for being part of our growing online community. Please feel free to invite others you know(student, parent or teacher) who may want to be part of the excitement and seefor themselves that Skills Work!

GailSmyth,

ExecutiveDirector

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-28T16:09:00.000-04:00

St. Lawrence College, Kingston

I spent my last week of camp at St. Lawrence College in Kingston. This summer went really fast! How did I get to the end already?

Our first workshop of the week was actually a tour. We visited the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum, and we learned how to make shakes. They’re really old-timey and we had to use an old-timey way of cutting the logs. It’s kinda hard to explain, so I got some pictures! We used a kind of saw thing, and had to hammer on it to cut the wood. That’s not like using a saw at all! But it cuts it the right way. That got us all ready to do a carpentry workshop and boy am I a pro by now! We made mini paddles, and we got to use power sanders! We all added different coloured strips of wood to the centre of our paddles so they were all unique. Carpentry can be really artistic, but nobody seems to really talk about that part. Anyway, our leader was Barry, and he seemed like he had hung out with kids a lot. That was really cool.

Our next workshop was culinary. I’m gonna have to have a party and invite over all my friends and then feed them all the stuff I learned how to cook this summer! Chef Richard and Chef Ryan showed us how to make turkey kabobs, which we ate for breakfast right away. Then we spent the rest of the morning making pizza and cookies and that’s what we had for lunch! Well, I managed to save a few cookies to take home and I gave them to my sister. My mom said that was nice of me, but really I was just stuffed from all the food I had already eaten. Don’t tell her!

I think my favourite workshop of the week was masonry, because we got to actually make bricks. I’m not joking! Our leader, Dave, gave us a couple of different moulds that we filled with cement, and when it was almost dry, he said we could write our names in a brick or put a handprint in, and we got to take our bricks home! That was cool. We also learned how to spread mortar, and we did some surveying. I always wondered what those construction workers were doing with that stuff! They use it to measure slopes and levels and stuff. Anyway, that was fun.

Our last workshop of the week was electrical, and we wired up a button to a bell so that when you pushed the button, the bell would ring. And right after, we built propeller cars with our camp leaders, Jessica and Emily. So the cars made a lot of sense, because we had talked about circuits and built one already. The person who ran the electrical workshop, James, talked a lot about safety. I definitely noticed a lot of people talking about safety this summer! But James actually explained some stuff. Like why we have to wear different types of safety gear, even when it doesn’t seem necessary. I thought that was really helpful.

The week ended with our big TV debut! CKWS came out to watch us after we finished making our gliders and filmed us doing our big launching competition! It was so, so awesome. We got to be on TV! And the glider competition is fun – we make the gliders out of balsa wood and Styrofoam sheets and create them however we want, and then we have a contest to see who’s plane goes the furthest, or the straightest or whose is most acrobatic. Did I mention it was on TV??

Well, I guess I’d better get my school supplies ready to go. I had such a blast at camp, trying out lots of different skilled trades! My school doesn’t have any design and technology classes, but I really, really want to take some when I get to high school! I hope all my camp leaders had a great time too, because they were awesome! Thanks, Skills Canada – Ontario! Maybe I’ll see you next summer!!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-24T08:17:00.000-04:00

Linamar, Guelph

Well, I’ve been dreading it, but it had to come – my last week! I totally ended on the best note possible. This camp at Linamar in Guelph? It was an all girls’ camp! I definitely didn’t need to worry about being the only girl! It was so awesome to meet different women who work for Linamar in so many different trades. And they let us use all kinds of machines and tools!

On the first day, we met Linda Hasenfratz. She’s the big boss, so that was super cool! Ms. Hasenfratz was so incredibly nice. Her dad started Linamar way back in the 60s, and Ms. Hasenfratz told us all about her job and how she worked her way up through the company. Then we got a tour of the facility and a presentation about safety. I’m going to be the safest person ever after all this!

We had our leaders from Skills Canada – Ontario, April and Shannon, but we also had people from Linamar helping us through workshops too – Jamie and Chris. Since we were trying so much new stuff, I was super happy to have extra help!

Our first workshop of the week was machining, something I had never done before. But before we got started, one of the women who works at Linamar, Grace, talked to us about what machining is. Good call, since it’s her job! She was so totally enthusiastic about it, it was awesome! Anyway, after that, we were given a piece of plastic, and then we had to do measurements to figure out what parts to cut off and how much. Then Chris helped us use a machine to cut the plastic into the right shapes and specifications and ended up with…a pen holder!

On the second day, we did a workshop in hand tooling, I think it’s called? One of the workshop leaders, Jen, is a millwright, which is somebody who repairs machines when they break down. She knows a lot of stuff! Anyway, she told us about what being a millwright is and how to use different types of tools. We brought our pen holders with us so we could use different tools to refine them. It was pretty cool.

We did an electrical workshop on Thursday, where we soldered a resistor to a LED bulb in a circuit. I am so good at electrical work! Maybe I should think about being an electrician too. So many choices! One thing I hadn’t tried before, we used heat shrink tubing to secure the connections. Weird! And also cool.

Our last workshop of the week was automation and robotics. It was just awesome. It was nothing like those nerdy robot shows on TV. Robots are used all over the place in manufacturing! They can be really simple and really confusing at the same time! After we learned some of the basics, we programmed robots to touch different points on a grid, without knocking pegs over. We were in two teams, and we competed against each other to see who could leave the most pegs standing. Super fun!

We also toured a few other facilities. I really liked SkyJack. I’ve seen those machines around, and I had no idea they were made in Southern Ontario! Crazy. Courtney, a welder at SkyJack, showed us a bit of how they’re made, and we got to see a giant robotic welder (see? Robots everywhere!), and then we went up and down in the different lifts. So fun! Another tour we did was to a place called Vehcom, which is part of Linamar. They told us about products they make and we asked lots of questions.

I’m really glad I did this camp after trying out a lot of other hand tools and stuff at other camps. It really made the whole thing less scary and I felt more comfortable with some of the really unusual stuff I tried out this week.

What an awesome summer! And here I was, totally thinking it was gonna be boring! I have so many stories to tell my friends when I go back to school. Good thing I don’t have to wait long! Thanks a lot for a wicked summer, Skills Canada – Ontario! Maybe I’ll get on a cardboard boat race team this year and see some of my leaders again!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-18T13:58:00.000-04:00

Confederation College, Thunder Bay

During the last week of July, I made my way to Thunder Bay for camp at Confederation College. The campus was bigger than I thought it would be, and they have a whole building just for skilled trades programs.

Our first workshop of the week was electrical. It’s a popular one for Mondays, but I’ve done so many different types of electrical workshops that it has actually been interesting. We wired batteries and then used the charge to pick up paper clips. It was kinda fun, trying to see how many paper clips we could pick up. I’ve done that with magnets, but I never thought about the magnetic charge of a battery before. Plus we tried our construction skills at making bridges out of straws. Our leader was Sandra, and she’s obviously used to working with kids our age. She takes her electrical program into the schools around here or something, so she was totally prepared for us.

One thing I had never done before was welding. I was soooo scared! At first I thought the only danger was setting stuff on fire. Then I found out that welding involves a lot of electricity, so I had to worry about electrocuting myself too! Plus, there are like a million different types of welding and so many crazy tools you can use, like a plasma cutter. I was so freaked out! Our workshop leader, Jim, was amazing though. He assured us that as long as we were using our protective gear right, and we weren’t messing around, welding was perfectly safe. And you know what? I made an awesome decorative hanger for plants, nobody got hurt, and it was really fun! Who knew?

I was definitely back on comfortable ground with carpentry. We made a different kind of birdhouse than any before, and this workshop focused a lot on math. Did you know that carpenters do all kinds of conversions in their heads? They have to constantly calculate fractions, and convert between metric and imperial measurements – all without a calculator! Anyway, my birdhouse was totally amazing. Maybe I should be a carpenter, since I’ve gotten this good after just a few workshops!

I also had an automotive workshop at this camp, and I know nothing about cars. (I don’t even care about cars, except that I can’t wait to have a driver’s license and go wherever I want whenever I want!) I realized after this workshop just how handy it is to know the basics. We learned what kinds of tools and computers are used to figure out problems with cars, and how to repair a flat tire. Then we toured the truck and coach shop on campus and took turns sitting in a custom-built hot rod. I would probably never do something like fix a flat tire, but it got me thinking about how useful it is to know how to change a tire, or even just how a car works. I think I might take an auto class in high school, just to get more experience.

One morning at camp, we took a trip to Union Gas. That was pretty cool, ‘cause my parents always talk about the “gas guy” coming to the house and paying the gas bill and stuff, and I never got it. But now I totally do! Willie, our tour guide, showed us some of the equipment they use to locate gas lines before building on a site, he showed us how to read a meter, and he talked a lot about safety. Everybody talks a lot about safety at these camps! But I guess if you’re going to work with electricity and gas lines and saws and stuff, that’s probably a good thing.

Not gonna lie, I never really thought about working in skilled trades. But after four weeks at skilled trade camps, I really think I could do this stuff! One more week to go!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-15T09:09:00.000-04:00

Sault College, Sault Ste. Marie

My second-last camp was at Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie. (I found out that "Sault" is pronounced “soo.” Isn’t that weird?) Anyway, Sault Ste. Marie was kinda far from everywhere else I’ve been, but there’s a lot going on in the town during the summer. And the campus is pretty cool because they have so many different programs. It was worth the trip!

On our first afternoon, a lady named Lisa came to our camp to talk about safety. I already knew some stuff, because of hearing Eric’s presentation a couple of weeks ago. But this was super cool. Lisa split us into teams and had us go through part of the college to find safety stuff – good and bad. My team found a tonne of stuff! We’re so observant.

In our electrical workshop, we made a keychain flashlight that was also a strobe light. Part of it involved soldering wires to a small electrical board, which is really hard! Our workshop leader, Ken, was pretty patient with me though, and I got the hang of it in the end though. It was fun, and now I have a flashlight keychain to show off! Maybe going back to school won’t be so bad with all this cool stuff I have to talk about!

Electrical was in the morning, and then in the afternoon we did a culinary workshop. We made cinnamon rolls from scratch. Well, Jason, our workshop leader, had prepared dough ahead of time so that we wouldn’t have to wait for the dough to rise. But he showed us how to make it, and I have the recipe so I can make it at home from scratch when I have lots of time. I love this cooking stuff, it’s really fun! And the best part is sampling everything you make – yum!

I got to do another hairstyling workshop this week. Our workshop leader, Paula, taught me how to make a braid. I tried braiding a mannequin’s hair, and that’s really hard too! How do girls do it so easily?? Maybe it’s just a practice thing. I even let one of the girls paint my fingernails. But black nail polish only…I at least wanted to look like a rock star!

We did a lot of tours this week too. We went through the airplane hangar at the college, which was neato. They have a flight training program, and we got to sit in a lot of the planes. One of the aircraft mechanics was there to answer questions about being an aircraft mechanic. She told us that there are more women in aircraft maintenance than other types of motive power trades. Apparently, a lot of women entered the trade during World War II, and that paved the way for more women after them. I think my mom told me once that her grandmother was an aircraft mechanic during the war. I’m going to ask her about that.

Continuing with our plane theme, we also visted the Bushplane Museum, and that was really fun. I learned stuff, like how planes stay up and how the wings work, but I also tried out the simulator games and stuff. It was awesome! We also toured the Brookfield Wind Farm, which I thought was cool too. Wind power is so amazing! The farm had 126 windmills, and we actually got to go inside to see how they work.

I only have one more week of camp left! Where did the summer go??

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-11T08:32:00.002-04:00

Conestoga College, Kitchener

I attended my third camp at Conestoga College in Kitchener. The head office for Skills Canada – Ontario is in Kitchener too! I just missed the camp held at the Waterloo campus, but since I had a blast this week, I’m okay with it.

One of our workshops was broadcasting. I had no idea it was linked to the skilled trades, but it’s part of the technologies. It makes a lot of sense when you think about all the programming people do, and all the electrical equipment they use. Our workshop leader was Mike, and he talked to us all about different radio careers, including all the recording and producing stuff. There’s a lot more to it than sitting in front of a microphone and talking. A lot of planning happens behind the scenes, and a lot of things are run by computers. I’ve made lots of playlists on my iPod, so I got what Mike was talking about right away! Anyway, we got to record commercials, and that was awesome!

In our woodworking workshop, three of the carpentry students at Conestoga taught us how to make our own game! It was really fun, because we had to do so many different things – cutting, sanding and finishing the wood. Plus, I learned how to play a new game! And now when I show it to my friends, I can brag all about how I made it! I’m getting to be a pretty fantastic woodworker, if I do say so myself!

I got to do another culinary workshop this week too! I’m a pro at making pizza now, and I know how to make chocolate mousse from scratch! I made it at home for my mom and my dad and my sisters, and they thought it was delicious! Gary, the chef who led our workshop, told us a lot about how to become a chef, and the other things you can do, like writing a cookbook, or being a food critic or teaching. I had started to figure out that skilled trades are an amazing way to make money and have a really fun time at work, but I didn’t know about all the other stuff you can do too! Skilled tradespeople often own their own businesses, and teach their trades in colleges, training centres and the workplace. And those are just two examples! My sister wants to be a teacher, and I told her about teaching trades and she thought that was cool.

One thing I had never tried before was brick masonry. I don’t know how brick masons do it – it’s really tiring work! Lots of lifting. And it’s a lot harder to build a brick wall than you think. There’s lots of math involved, not to mention just having a steady hand! Our leader for this workshop was Adam, and I would not challenge him to an arm wrestling contest!

Our last workshop of the week was working with clay, which was really creative. And if I wanted to do any skilled trade, I would need to have artistic skill! So we played with clay, and our workshop leader, Alyssa, showed us how to make different shapes. And when we took it home, we could bake it make beads for jewellry! Since I don't wear jewellry, I had no idea that's how they're made. I baked mine when I got home, and it worked! I'm not sure what to do with beads though...maybe my sister can use them.

Another awesome week all wrapped up! I can't wait to see what's in store at my next camp!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-08T09:08:00.000-04:00

Fleming College, Peterborough

Okay, I tried another Skills Work! ® camp – this time in Peterborough at Fleming College. The week was totally amazing! I tried so many new things, and the college gave us a barbecue! So awesome.

So we totally got to tour a TV station. It was the local Cogeco station, and we had the run of the place because everybody was out for the summer. We used all the cameras, we pretended to do our own talk shows. It was so wicked! I love TV, but I really liked learning the behind-the-scenes stuff, like everything that has to be done with lighting, sound, camera angles, and everything! Cool!

I also got to try a plumbing workshop, which I’ve never done before. But you know what? It didn’t bother me at all. Having tried carpentry and electrical work, and a whole bunch of other trades made me feel so ready for plumbing! Our workshop leaders were Gord and Michael and they gave us all the tools and equipment to make CD/video game holders. I never thought of using copper pipes for that, but you totally can! My parents were so impressed! And now it’s in our living room, holding all my favourite video games!

The next workshop we went into was carpentry. By now, I’m pretty schooled at carpentry. Our workshop leader was Simon, and I really liked his workshop, it was so different – we made squirrel feeders! My mom says that maybe it’ll keep the squirrels out of the birdfeeder. I hope she’s right because all the animals should get good food, especially in the winter. We also made name plates to hang on our bedroom doors.

One of the coolest things I’ve done so far was tour the Canadian Canoe Museum. I didn’t even know there was one. Who would ever think canoes are so fascinating that they would start a museum? But if you think about it, a lot of Canada was discovered and mapped by people using canoes to get around, so it totally makes sense. Anyway, after we looked around a bit we carved paddles, which was super cool. Maybe I should start canoeing when I’m done camp!

Our last workshop of the week was brick masonry with Wayne. I bet I could totally become a bodybuilder by being a brick mason first. This is definitely a job where you get huge muscles! Everybody got their own work station and we built brick walls. So much harder than you would think! It was fun though. I like things to be challenging. It’s just boring if it’s too easy.

Every week, I get even more pumped for the next week. I can’t wait!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-08-03T16:35:00.000-04:00

College Boreal, Timmins

So after my week at Cambrian, I headed further north to Timmins and College Boreal. Timmins is so pretty!

This week was a lot of fun. There were a lot of us at this camp, so we were split into two groups for many of the activities and workshops. Sometimes it was just us girls, and that was kinda fun!

On our first day, we did a lot of electrical stuff. We had a workshop with Serge, where we played around a lot with circuits. It was so easy to do things this time, because I already knew what I was doing. I’m turning into such a pro! We wired connections between batteries and lightbulbs and tried out different configurations to see what would happen. Our camp leaders, Emily, Kaela and Mo, also showed us how to make electric cars, and they were actually pretty cool. It moves by battery-powered propeller, and mine’s pretty fast. Plus I got to decorate the car however I wanted. I’m so ready to have a driver’s license already!

This week had a carpentry workshop too, and I found that I liked carpentry a lot better this time too, because I had totally done it before! Serge was back again, and he helped us make toolboxes. We stained them afterward so they look ultra sleek. What’s the point of having a toolbox with no finesse to it?

Hairstyling was really awesome. I love to play around with my own hair. Sometimes I put in colour streaks (they wash out, which is the only reason my mom lets me do that!), and add in braids and clips and headbands. But this was even more fun because we were in a real training salon! We got to use the rollers, the curling and straightening irons and the manicure tables and stuff. Even the boys were way into it, which I was totally not expecting. Hilarious and super fun!

The week was so busy, but we even went on a couple of tours! One was to the Goldcorp Mill and Plant. I had no idea how many skilled tradespeople are involved with mining – millwrights, machinists, electricians and welders, just to name a few. Plus, mines are pretty sophisticated. About 80% of this one is run by computers! Mining is a really big deal in Ontario, so it’s good to know there are so many options!

The other tour was of the Sandy Falls Generating Station. That really made me think about where our electricity comes from and just how much effort goes into generating it. I think recycling and conserving energy is really important, but I will pay way more attention now. My parents leave lights on and the computer on and stuff all the time, so I’m totally going to be watching them.

Second week of camp is another win! This summer is turning out to be pretty amazing so far!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-07-28T11:39:00.000-04:00

Mohawk College, STARRT Institute, Stoney Creek

Uh-oh. Now I can’t decide which camp I like better. And I still have three more to go!

I spent the week of July 11^th at the Stoney Creek campus of Mohawk College. It was pretty cool, because the whole campus seems to be all about skilled trades! And since there weren’t too many people around, we got to use all the recreation stuff at lunch that the students normally use – like ping pong tables!

On the first day, a guy named Eric came to talk to us about safety. He told us about his first job when he was 16. During his first week, a crane operator asked him to help guide a steel wall to an area of the factory. Eric ended up having his lower half crushed by the wall! I couldn’t believe he could talk about it so calmly! Our leaders, Jen and Shannon, talked to us about how safety is extra important to younger people. They said younger people often don’t feel comfortable asking for help on the job because they don’t want to seem incompetent. Eric said himself that he clearly remembers thinking “isn’t there someone else more qualified around to help with this?” That was a scary start to the week, but seeing Eric so positive really helped to make it less scary!

One workshop I really liked was woodworking. Our workshop leader was Shari, and she taught us how to make toolboxes. I really liked trying out the power tools, like the drill press and the band saw. And then we painted our toolboxes! Shari’s been teaching at Mohawk for a long time, and she let us keep the hand tools we used to make our toolboxes, which was really nice of her. Then, in the afternoon, we decorated cakes! It wasn’t quite the same as being in a big fancy kitchen and making a whole meal, but it was a lot of fun. And it was delicious!

Tour day was weird, only because our two tours were so different from each other. We went to Laurenzo’s School of Hair Design in the morning. It’s a training centre for learning hairstyling. The apprentices there taught us about different hairstyling techniques. I had no idea how much there was to it! It’s a really creative skilled trade. The students showed us the mannequin heads they practice on, which are incredibly creepy. But you can do crazy designs with all kinds of colours on a mannequin head, where a real person might not like it so much! All of us got free haircuts and styles, and one of the other campers even got a mohawk!

We spent the afternoon touring Dofasco. Dofasco is a huge company that makes steel. We got to see the parts of the facility where they do all the repairs for everything, and we had to wear a lot of safety gear, including hard hats. (Unfortunately, that was the end of the mohawk, but after listening to Eric’s story, I’m a safety kind of guy!) At the end of the tour, we were given toolkits that included a tape measure, flashlight, pliers and wire strippers by David, who helped arrange the tour. I love free stuff! And now I have more items for my toolbox!

I’m still having a great time, and I can’t wait to try the next activities!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-07-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

Cambrian College, Sudbury

Hi everyone! This is Nikki. You’ll all be pleased to know that I’m a lot less terrified than I was before camp. I haven’t done a lot of this hands-on kind of stuff, and I was pretty scared of looking dumb…or hurting myself. But I did just fine. In fact, I had a lot of fun!

I spent my first week at camp at Cambrian College. I was sooo nervous because I thought I would be the only girl, but I wasn’t. And we did so many different things with the professors from the college, and with our camp leaders Mo and Will, that I didn’t have time to be nervous!

One of our workshops was AutoCAD, with Phil. Lots of people in industry use AutoCAD to make technical drawings of all kinds of stuff – airplane parts, musical instruments, even houses! We used it to make drawings of race cars. I’m pretty good at computers. I use MSN and Facebook and I make games and stuff all the time, so I figured it would be way easy. But this was trickier than I thought it would be. I liked it anyway, though, because it was challenging.

The next day was super busy. We started with an electrical workshop. I thought it would be boring, but again I was surprised. There’s a lot that goes into wiring different types of electrical things, as I found out from our workshop leaders, Marcia and Scott. We kind of moved to different stations, working on a panel, and wiring a switch, an outlet and a motor. When I have my own house someday, I’m totally going to wire outlets and stuff in it, just because I can!

In the afternoon, we went on a tour of CBC radio. We totally got to make our own news broadcast! It was really, really cool. Like we were real newscasters! There was a weather person out on the street, and everything! Our tour was led by Markus Schwabe, who hosts Morning North on CBC. I think my parents listen to him and I thought it was totally lame that they listen to CBC radio. But Markus was so nice, maybe I’ll start listening too. When I’m not sleeping in!

I really liked our carpentry workshop. The workshop leader was Steve, who I found out also volunteers at the big skilled trades competition that Skills Canada – Ontario has in the spring every year. Steve showed us how to make wooden boxes. I didn’t know that glue is used so much in woodworking. I thought it was nails. But the nails are only to hold everything together until the glue dries! Anyway, now I have a good hiding place to keep my stuff away from my little brother. And I made it myself!

Not gonna lie, I was pretty surprised by my first week. I had a lot of fun, and I met some really nice kids, and I got to try all kinds of new stuff! I don’t know that I’ve picked a career out of just one week, but I definitely have way more to think about. Maybe I’ll get more ideas at the next camp!

Skills Work - At Camp!

2011-07-11T19:50:00.000-04:00

Humber College, North Campus

Hi! Tyrone here, still recovering from my first week at camp! Last week, I checked out the camp at Humber College in Toronto. It was amazing! Humber offers training in so many different trades and technologies, and some of the professors actually volunteered their time to teach us a bit about their areas of expertise. We did so many workshops and activities, and even went offsite for a day. What a great week!

Our first workshop was all about HVAC – that’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning. We got to use welding torches – awesome!! We also did an activity with electrical currents, hooking up an electrical circuit. Our workshop leader was Mary, who teaches HVAC at Humber. I found out afterward that Mary has also been a mentor with the “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinner program and a judge for the Cardboard Boat Races! Anyway, nobody told me I was going to get to play with torches this week. I’m always the last to know everything!

On Wednesday, we did an electrical workshop – all about pipes. I didn’t know pipes were used so much in electrical work, but they’re often used to insulate wires, protect them from being touched or bumped, or even just to bunch them together so everything looks neat. We bent those plastic and metal pipes into all different shapes with fancy tools and our big muscles! (Okay, the heat and tools helped…so did our leaders.) This time, our workshop leader was Tony and he was really nice. I bet he’s good at electrical stuff.

Our off-site trip for the week was to a place called Build-It-Yourself Learning Centre. It was a huge workshop and classroom and we made birdhouses, right from scratch! Our teacher was Ian, and taught us so much stuff! He taught us how to use all the tools – hammers, saws and measuring tapes, and about safety in the workshop. He even talked about how we can become carpenters someday. I’m not sure I want to be a carpenter, but my birdhouse is pretty sweet and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of showing it off!

On Friday, we got to do some cooking! My mom was really excited when she found out I would be learning how to cook something. She’s been trying to get me to do that for ages! After this workshop, I just might be more willing to volunteer. I mean, come on. We made pizza! And it was amazing! Chef Trevor really knows his stuff! Before we got started, he taught us a bit about induction stoves. An induction stove only heats the pot or pan, and the pot or pan heats the food. One of our leaders, April, actually gave Chef Trevor a fifty dollar bill to put under a pot of water because he said it wouldn’t burn. He was right, but I can’t believe she trusted him! Fifty bucks!! Anyway, then we split into pairs and made pizza. My favourite part was eating it. I’m a pretty good pizza-maker, if I do say so myself!

What an awesome, awesome week. I can’t wait to see what the next camp has in store for me!!

Memories...

2011-07-04T17:44:00.000-04:00

Highlights of the 2010-2011 from some of our Liaison staff!

The main part of our job as Liaison Officers is to deliver presentations in schools so that students are aware of the opportunities available in skilled trades and technologies. We are often asked “doesn’t it get repetitive, doing the same presentation over and over?” The short answer: yes and no. The other programs and events we plan and assist with break up the school year. And more often than not, the schools and the kids are game changers. To celebrate the end of the school year, and the beginning of summer, we've put together a few examples.

Jessica Murphy, Thunder Bay:

It was the last day of a week long road trip that saw me going to places that few roads travelled beyond. My first stop of the last day brought me to Hudson, Ontario and a one-hallway school with only about 4 rooms in it. I arrived a bit early, so the teacher asked if I’d like to come with her to the breakfast room. I followed her down to the breakfast room – which was exactly that....a room where all of the students from the entire school sat and ate breakfast together. There were only about 20 students in the entire school and they all sat at 4 different tables eating breakfast together. One table had the K- grade 2 students, then there were the grade 3 & 4 students, the 5 & 6 students and finally the table of grades 7 & 8 students. When they were all finished they were told to bring their dishes to the back sink which they all did – even the little wee students, the “big kids” helped them reach to get their dishes in the sink. Once everyone was back in their seats, a teacher turned around, hit Play on the tape player and on came Oh Canada. When it was time to go to their classroom, the youngest students all held hands and made their way their room. Eventually the grades 7 & 8 students made it back to their room at which point I got to present to four fantastic students.

All the students had their eye out for the others and there was such a feeling of admiration and respect among all of the students. As I left the school, my eyes watered a little bit, as it was just announced in March that this school would be closing at the end of this school year. I can’t help but feel as though these kids are forever changed with the experiences they had at Hudson School, and I can definitely say that I am forever changed and that Hudson School has definitely left a lasting impact that I will always carry with me. Thanks for the memories Hudson!

Mauricio Ospina, Sudbury:

Something that surprised me from my first Cardboard Boat Race was that the biggest smiles of the day came when the boats sank! That surprised me because, after all, when the boat sinks is when you’re done the competition... you’re out! So when I saw the huge smiles I was blown away and noticed how much fun this event really is for all the participants. They work hard on their boats, want to win the race and paddle as hard as they can, want to have the most weight for 90 seconds, but at the end of the day they HAVE FUN and laugh when the boat sinks! Wonderful to see!

Shannon Skinner, Toronto:

In early June, I was scheduled for a day of presentations at a high school. Part of the way through one of my afternoon presentations, the fire alarm went off in the building! Apparently, the system will react to very high temperatures – whether or not there is smoke or fire. This one definitely wins an award for being one of the stranger mishaps that has occurred during one of my presentations. Just goes to show, our in-school presentation is too hot to handle!

April Albano, Kitchener:

I am new and most of the moments thus far have been memorable. One of the moments that stands out to me was at the Closing Ceremony for the Ontario Technological Skills Competition. I was carrying the various medals, scholarship notices and awards to the winners from backstage. I went on stage to hand out the School Board Award (given to the Board that achieves the highest combined score during the OTSC). The gentleman I gave it to started tearing up and hoisted the trophy in the air. I learned later that this man was the main contact for his school board - the Halton District School Board - and after many years of competing, his board had finally won the big award. He was so thrilled! It opened my eyes to the dedication of the individuals that are involved with Skills Canada-Ontario, and how important our programs are to so many schools, school boards and individuals across Ontario.

Devon Turcotte, Woodbridge:

Over the years, I have planned and supported a number of “Skills Work! for Women” Networking Dinners. But this year, I had the challenge of establishing this amazing event in brand new territory – Durham region. After piles of emails and hours of phone calls, and the assistance of countless teachers and school board connections, I finally managed to scrape together 24 students to attend the dinner. As these girls went through the evening, I could almost see their eyes opening more and more and more. One student approached me at the end of the evening and said “this is amazing! I really think I could do these jobs!” And then in one of my last presentations of the year, a student approached me and told me she had attended the dinner. She is interested in becoming an auto service technician, and had been for a long time, but she was really amazed to find out how many other doors would open for her once she obtained her license. What a great treat! I was thrilled to hear that she was even more inspired to continue on her path, and connected her with another woman who had been a mentor in past, but wasn’t able to attend this particular dinner.

Scott Verhoeve, Kitchener:

In the weeks that I have been a Liaison Officer, the date that stands out to me is May 9. It was a seminal day for me: I formally hit the road for a week of training with my fellow new cohort, April, in the shadow of a more experienced Liaison Officer, Brieanna Holm. The Ontario Technological Skills Competition had left me feeling more a part of the staff team, and we headed to present in my home town and at the school where I had just completed several months of practice teaching as a student teacher. Although I wasn’t presenting that morning – I had the good fortune of watching Brie do her job – I knew many students in the audience after teaching in several grade 10 classes over the last two semesters. And the combination of listening to the presentation and knowing many of the students really crystallized for me the importance of our role and the fact that these students are real people with huge potential and big decisions ahead of them. Although I am still working at doing this well, that day motivates me to try to connect with my audience as though they are all students that I know personally.

2011 Glenn Beatty Award Winner - Bob Tone

2011-05-24T20:21:00.000-04:00

Where would we be without volunteers? At Skills Canada-Ontario, we rely on the support of literally hundreds of people who work tirelessly, without pay, to help make a complex, multi-day event such as the OTSC run smoothly.

While we value and appreciate every single one of our family of volunteers, it is our pleasure to honour one individual each year at the Closing Ceremony for the Ontario Technological Skills Competition with a special award to recognize their outstanding contributions to our organization.

This award is named for Glenn Beatty, a competitor in the Precision Machining contest at the 1997 OTSC. Glenn earned a gold medal at that year’s OTSC, then went on to achieve the same stellar level of success at the Canadian Skills Competition in Red Deer, Alberta.

Glenn Beatty’s talents in Precision Machining not only earned him top marks at these provincial and national skills competitions; they also landed him a job at ATS Automation Tooling Systems in Cambridge, despite his young age. Energetic and big-hearted, Glenn decided to give back to our organization by becoming a volunteer, so in 1998 Skills Canada – Ontario was the beneficiary of his enormous help at that year’s OTSC as a Marshal.

Tragically, this kind and vibrant young man was taken from us in a motor vehicle accident in January 1999. That same year, the Board of Directors of Skills Canada-Ontario created the Glenn Beatty Award in his name, as a way to pay tribute to his memory and to honour other exceptional volunteers who embody the same generous spirit that was such an integral part of who Glenn was.

This year’s recipient of the Glenn Beatty award is a gentleman who has become a fixture and familiar face in the Robotics contest. It is our great pleasure and privilege to honour Bob Tone, Technical Chair of the Robotics Contest, as this year’s recipient of the Glenn Beatty Award.

Robotics is one of the most labour-intensive contests hosted at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition and Bob has embraced this role as the Technical Committee Chair at the provincial level. The dedication he has to this contest is second only to the passion he has to the field of robotics. He has ensured that Robotics is one of the most successful contests at the provincial and national Skills competitions, and has recently been approved as a World Expert who will be contributing to Worldskills 2011.

On top of facilitating the Robotics contest, Bob also coordinates the registration of all students competing on behalf of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. This is no small feat with a school board that size.

Passionate, hardworking and organized ― before the 2011 OTSC was complete, he had already begun preparations for next year’s provincial and national Robotics contest ― you can’t ask for anything more from a volunteer!

Click here for a full list of past recipients, and visit our website for more information on our awards and scholarships!

Skills Work!® for Women – Sheila Brown, Computer Tamer

2011-04-28T21:07:00.000-04:00

Sheila Brown’s career path looks something like a patchwork quilt. She worked in nursing for many years, then in volunteer management within Ontario hospitals, then onto retail management with a large department store chain. After becoming disabled in 1986, Sheila adjusted her work so that she could work sitting down. And that’s where she got her first introduction to computers.

The company she worked for at the time was Canada’s first company to connect the public to the Internet. Immediately, she saw a need for skills development with computers, particularly among women.

Around the same time, her son was becoming interested in computers through school. As a widowed single mother, Sheila felt that it was important to gain a good understanding of what he was getting into, so she went out and purchased her first computer in 1984 and took to it immediately.

In 1994, before most of us even knew the Internet was a thing, Sheila had already designed her first web page. She created a business out of her passion for computers, which started part time in 1999, and flourished into a full-time gig in 2004.

“I train many women and seniors, as well as helping younger people, to learn how to use their computers, and how to be safe online. I also train people in how to create or maintain their own websites, and am pleased when they can do so on their own, or with little guidance and help.”

One of the biggest skills Sheila uses on a daily basis is patience. Sometimes she has to explain a process or task several times before a client understands. She also has to stay ahead of the curve on new technologies.

A significant barrier to Sheila starting her career was “male attitudes to females in technology.” She remembers that she wasn't given good service when buying her first computers, and was not always taken seriously in discussions with male tech support personnel. She is happy to see these attitudes changing, but can still be a challenge for women, even today, despite the prevalence of computers in our society.

“Women are capable, women are strong, and women can do whatever they want to, despite the problems and challenges we encounter,” is her advice to young women seeking work in technologies. With such a positive attitude, she is sure to see her business expand in the coming years!

Sheila is a returning mentor to our Networking Dinner program. She mentored at the Ottawa “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinner on April 12, 2011.

Skills Work!® in Partnership - OCAS

2011-04-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

In his report, People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People: Ontario's Labour Market Future, Dr. Rick Miner predicts that Ontario's economy will be increasingly driven by knowledge- and skill-based jobs. There is a shortage of skilled trades people and that shortage is likely to increase and construction workers age and retire. Occupations will need to adapt to new emerging technologies.

These trends will drastically increase the need for workers with education or certification beyond the high school level. Colleges play a vital role in training our workforce and delivering people with employable skills.

There are thousands of post-secondary programs offered across the province from which to choose, including skilled trades and apprenticeship-related programs. Information about these options needs to be readily available to help individuals make informed decisions about their future.

Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) is proud to partner with Skills Canada – Ontario to support its dedication to promoting careers in the skilled trades and technologies as a first-choice, viable career option for youth in Ontario. Our shared belief in the importance of promoting skilled trade careers to youth helps address the workforce shortages ahead.

OCAS produces publications highlighting these program choices, at which college they are offered, as well as the benefits of a college education. Through our partnership with Skills Canada – Ontario, these materials are distributed via the “Skills Work!® What’s Out There?” program.

In addition to our support of the “Skills Work!® What’s Out There?” program, OCAS sponsors and has a number of partnership initiatives with Skills Canada – Ontario including the Skills Canada Competitions, Skills at the Park and Cardboard Boat Races. We are pleased for the opportunity to assist Skills Canada – Ontario in highlighting the importance and value of skilled workers. We look forward to these and other initiatives our partnership will bring.

National Volunteer Week - April 11-17

2011-04-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

As a not-for-profit organization, Skills Canada – Ontario relies heavily on the assistance of many volunteers in order to successfully administer our programs to over 100,000 students every year.

SCO is extremely fortunate to have a dedicated base of more than 1000 volunteers, who participate in a variety of ways. These volunteers act as mentors in our young women’s programs and various judges in our competitions. They assist with set-up and tear-down of the Ontario Technological Skills Competition, and lend a hand with anything that needs to be done. Many of them return year after year and have long since been adopted into the SCO family. A few such individuals are profiled below.

Shane Kennedy, Lead Corporate Trainer for Boston Pizza – Shane had such a great experience as a competitor at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition that he continued his involvement with the OTSC as a Marshal. Shane has returned every year since 2002 to fill this role. Marshals are responsible for one of the seven contest areas at the OTSC, facilitating set-up, tear-down and flow of the competition. It’s a tough job that can involve everything from directing visitors and volunteers, grabbing spare tables and chairs for individual contests, and hauling materials and supplies around. Definitely not glamourous. Shane, however, loves it. “Giving back to the community is important. It’s part of who we are as Canadians, as human beings. And Skills is a fantastic organization because you’re supporting the education and growth of students.”

Kitty Runstedler, Co-op and Career Services at Conestoga College – When the job interview component was first introduced at the OTSC (each secondary and post-secondary competitor completes a 5-minute job interview as part of his or her contest), Kitty was one of the volunteers recruited to conduct job interviews. “Conestoga College has always been heavily involved with the OTSC, and I wanted to support that involvement. My husband is a skilled tradesperson, and plenty of Conestoga students compete as well.” Gradually, Kitty’s role changed from interviewer to coordinator of the job interview component, and she continues to serve on the committee, assisting with recruiting volunteers, organizing the flow of interviews on-site and providing support and help to volunteers in attendance. She returns year after year because she loves working with the staff at SCO, and believes that it’s important to support youth.

Martin Restoule, Coordinator, Transportation Apprenticeship Trades, Algonquin College

After 10 years as Chair of the Automotive Service Technician contest, Martin is just as excited as ever to be involved with the Ontario Technological Skills Competition again this year. “I really enjoy helping the students and seeing them succeed. My hope is that the competition will teach them to work hard in their careers and learn new skills. I learn something new every year being involved in the contest.” As the Chair, Martin is responsible for designing the project annually, coordinating the technical committee, sourcing equipment, and recruiting judges. “I like volunteering with Skills Canada – Ontario and would recommend this to my colleagues in education and industry because I feel it helps the industry grow by promoting the profession, demonstrating the quality of the work being done and encouraging youth to pursue a skilled trade career.” He is very thankful that his employer for the last 22 years, Algonquin College, is very supportive of his involvement at the OTSC, as well as the National Skills Competition. “Volunteering with Skills Canada – Ontario is addictive. You do it once and want to continue to make it better year after year.”

As profusely as we thank them, we never feel it’s enough for the help and dedication we get from individuals like Martin, Kitty or Shane. In honour of National Volunteer Week 2011, we want to offer our most sincere thanks to all our volunteers – past, present and future. You will always have a home with Skills Canada – Ontario!

The Ontario Technological Skills Competition is just around the corner! Click here for more info and come visit us on May 2 and 3!

Skills Work!® On The Road – Shannon Skinner, Toronto

2011-04-05T16:28:00.000-04:00

My name is Shannon Skinner and I am the Liaison Officer for the Peel and Halton regions. It has almost been a year since I started with Skills Canada – Ontario and I still feel like a newbie. I think it will take me participating in my second Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC) to feel like a veteran like my fellow Liaison Officers, Will and Devon.

If you’re unfamiliar with the OTSC, it is the largest skilled trade competition in Canada. Spectators get to watch amazing secondary and post-secondary students compete in over 60 skilled trade and technology contests. Last year was a special year to join the team because we had the challenge of running back-to-back competitions: the OTSC and the Canadian Skills Competition.

I found out what my role was for the OTSC and CSC over lunch on my first day. Barry, the Competitions Manager, came into the board room to introduce himself to me over lunch. We got to know each other by discussing our competitive rowing careers and then he asked me a question with a small smile on his face. “Shannon, do you know how to put together a table saw?”

I thought to myself, "what the heck is a table saw?"

I replied “if it comes in a box with instructions, I’ll give it a shot!” It turns out I was assigned the task of setting up and distributing all of the tools that were needed onsite for all of the skilled trade contests and challenges happening throughout both competitions. Lucky for me I had a knowledgeable partner in crime, Will Howe, who had been working with the tools team since he started at Skills. Together, we managed to get the tools charged, set up and delivered in time for the competitions. This year I’m going to find myself a brightly coloured hard hat to complete my tool girl look.

The whole experience lasted 19 days and it was best introduction to the job I could imagine. I was able to see firsthand the results of the hard work Skills Canada-Ontario puts in to promote the skilled trades and technologies to youth across Ontario.

Since that time, I have been to over 100 schools delivering the "Skills Work! ® What's Out There" Presentation, organized two "Skills Work! ® for Women" Networking Dinners and attended four “Skills Work!” Summer Camps. I have loved every minute of my experience and I’m looking forward to round two!

Skills Work!® for Women – Maria St. Jean, Water Treatment Maintenance/Operator

2011-04-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

Many mothers have a difficult time readjusting to the workforce after one year of maternity leave. But what if you spent years – decades even – caring for your family and then decided to go back to the workforce?

Maria St. Jean was in that very position. After 20 years of being a homemaker, Maria decided to return to work, out of a desire to both provide for her family in a more stable way, and to find a career that was challenging, rewarding and allowed for continuing education. It wasn’t an easy find.

“When I entered the work force I worked at three other jobs that were not related to the water industry and I also joined my local Volunteer Fire Department.”

After trying a few things, Maria found her niche in Water Treatment Maintenance and Operations in Timmins. Her role is to maintain and monitor the equipment for water treatment at the facility and the satellite stations, monitor the chlorine levels, pressure readings and water flows throughout the city. She also takes water samples, and manages continuous documentation and record keeping.

After four years with the Timmins water treatment facility, she cites observational skills, consistency and ingenuity as the top skills to be successful at her job. One of the best parts of the job? “Almost every day there is a new aspect of the job to learn. There is basically never a dull moment.”

It’s definitely a career that fits the bill for continuous learning and challenge. Maria points out that one of the biggest challenges is the continuous learning. She is required to keep up with Ministry of Environment regulations as they change, as well as ensure she takes all the right courses to maintain her license.

Very often, when we meet women in skilled trade or technology careers, they talk about having to work extra hard to prove themselves among the men. Maria was a different case entirely – the major obstacle she encountered was herself. “The biggest barrier I had to overcome was my own insecurities that I might not be able to learn all of the aspects of my job at my age. But the more I studied, the more courses I took, I realized that was not the case.”

Maria finds her work rewarding, and has succeeded in the endeavour to pursue something allowing for continuing education. Her favourite part of the job is that it opens travel opportunities to her. Her skills can take her across Canada, or into the U.S.

“Keep an open mind. There are unlimited possibilities for young women who want to get into a trade. With a trade you have the ability to cross borders, carry your skills to different countries or simply provide a better life for yourself and your family. The little bit of time it takes to train in a trade (most of it is on the job training), pays itself back almost immediately. I started in the water industry at 44, the doors this career has opened for me are countless to date; just imagine where you could be starting at [a young] age!"

Maria mentored students at this year's Networking Dinner for Women in Timmins on March 29, 2011.

Dreaming of Summer?

2011-03-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

“Skills Work!®” Summer Camps are just around the corner!

Parent comment: “My son was able to build things and got excited when describing how he made them.”

Parent comment: “A very positive experience; my daughter told us about what she learned at the camp every day on the way home. She really liked it!”

What happens at “Skills Work!®” Summer Camps? Everything skilled trades and technology! Held in conjunction with colleges around Ontario, campers get to experience many different trades and technologies – TV production, cooking, electrical, automotive service, heavy equipment service and drafting, to name a few. We also take the campers out on tours of industry to see trade and technology careers in action. For kids who love watching “How It’s Made” on Discovery Channel, it’s like a live version! Places we’ve toured in the past:

Goldcorp Inc. / Porcupine Joint Venture Mine Tour, Timmins
CBC radio, Sudbury and Thunder Bay
Ontario Industrial and Finishing Skills Centre, Toronto
Cogeco local TV studios, Sarnia
Brookfield Wind Operations, Sault Ste. Marie
Canadian Canoe Museum, Peterborough

Camper comment: “Very hands on, friendly counsellors, everything is very interesting.”

From William Howe, Liaison Officer:

“A few years ago, at one of the camps at Fleming College, we were welding. After completing their safety instruction, the students were putting on their safety equipment and one of the girls in the camp approached me. Her name was Hannah and she said to me in a soft voice ‘I am afraid of sparks and flames.’ It just so happened that the welding instructor had brought her daughters with her to help out. I approached the youngest daughter, who looked about fifteen years old. This capable young lady asked Hannah to join her in the welding booth to just watch and see how the process works. The screen closed and some time passed and I was called away to help another camper. The next time I looked over, I saw the screen whip open and there was Hannah. Her helmet was flipped up to show a huge grin. She had her completed project clasped firmly in a pair of tongs and she saw me and exclaimed, ‘I did it!’”

From Devon Turcotte, Liaison Officer:

“In a carpentry workshop one year, campers were making outdoor side tables from cedar – a challenging day-long project that required a lot of patience. At the end of the day, one of the campers looked at her finished table, crestfallen. When I asked her what was wrong, she said ‘it doesn’t look very nice.’ The table certainly did have some crooked boards and didn’t quite sit evenly on the concrete floor. I pointed out that she had never tried anything like this before, she had done an amazing job for a first attempt on such an ambitious project. When she still looked sad, I went on to say that the next time she wanted to do something like that, she would have so much more experience going in, and it would be that much easier. She lit right up and said ‘hey, you’re right!’”

From Jennifer Palmer, Summer Camp staff and former Liaison Officer:

“Every year one of my favourite workshops is Welding at Centennial College. When campers start they are jumping at every spark and make tentative attempts at very shaky welds. By the end of the workshops they are confidently flipping down their masks, smoothly making lines, practicing writing their names, and happily following the instructors as they guide the group through making edge joints. This is a workshop where campers get to learn a unique skill, develop their techniques, and try out a great skilled trade!”

Camper comment: “I would make the camp longer, like two weeks or so, because this camp was awesome and I didn't want it to end!”

Parent comment: “It is a great opportunity for our son to experience a taste of different industries and fields of work- It is also a great opportunity to build confidence in one's skills, great camp!”

From Karen Throupe – Program Manager, Young Women’s Initiatives and Summer Camps:

“I recall a few years ago having a camper involved that truly loved every minute of his camp experience. His mom commented that while normally it was difficult to get him out of bed to go to school, when it came to this camp he was so eager to attend each day that he was the first one up in the morning. I ran into this camper a few years later. It turns out that the passion he discovered for the skilled trades was still holding strong – he was taking high school technology courses and planning on pursuing an apprenticeship in his future.”

Parent comment: “I think this was one of the better camps my son has attended.”

Camper comment: “This camp was amazing!”

For more information, visit our website.

Watch our camp video at www.youtube.com/skillsontario to see a sample workshop!

Skills Work!® On The Road - Ottawa

2011-03-11T08:26:00.000-05:00

Charting New Territory: Firsts at Skills Canada - Ontario

I am one of the newer Liaison Officers, having started my career with Skills Canada - Ontario just a few months ago, right out of university. So far I am really enjoying it. One of the reasons is that Skills Canada - Ontario has offered me many opportunities to experience new things in both my personal and professional life. So far, most of them have been great.

As you may have gathered by reading previous entries, driving is a very big part of the job. One of the first things I did after being hired was go out and buy my first car. As a young, naive girl getting my first licence picture taken I thought owning a car would be awesome. Sadly I was wrong. I must admit that after being an avid OC Transpo passenger (Ottawa’s public transit system) for four years, owning a car does have advantages. However, since as gas hit above 1.20$ recently in the nation’s capital, owning a car has proven to have a challenging side!

One of my favourite things about this job, and the biggest part, is delivering the “Skills Work!® What’s Out There?” presentation. I will never forget the first time I stood in front of a group of students and had 60 pairs of eyes on me, waiting to hear what I had to say. What a great experience! Yes, it was slightly intimidating to have these young people staring at me, and not really knowing what they were thinking. For me, it is so much fun. It is probably a good thing I love to talk! I was the girl in the back corner of the class room that teachers were always shushing, and it’s finally coming in handy!

It seems to me that teachers often ask “Doesn’t this job get repetitive?” While it is true that the presentation is always the same, the students are all so different that they make the presentation different every time. They ask different questions and they are interested in different aspects of the presentation.

I will never forget during one of my first presentations a boy raised his hand and shared with the class that his “life goal is to be on Jersey Shore.” After this was said, another boy looked at him and said “Have you no ambition? Aim higher...like Big Brother or something.” This sparked a debate about which reality show was the best. The result seemed to be a tie between Survivor and Project Runway.

Standing in front of the class, I had to think of away to bring us back on topic to do so I explained to students that acting was not part of the skilled trades and technologies, but they could look into TV Video Production, Entertainment Industry Power Technicians, or even construction workers who build movie, television and theatre sets. Presentations have been a really good first time experience.

I think my favourite first has been the Elementary Cardboard Boat race. It was so much fun! It was amazing to see all the different designs and approaches. Even more impressive was to see a boat made of cardboard hold 730lbs, and designed by 12- and 13-year-olds!

The best thing about the race was the kids were not overly competitive, they really just wanted to see other teams do well. Kids were more than happy to jump into other teams’ boats during the weight challenge to help out those other teams. I was impressed to hear the students cheer for opposing teams that did well, and to see cooperation even amongst opposing teams.

In a nutshell, those are my first few months with Skills Canada – Ontario – lots of presentations and tons of really great first time experiences. My next first: The Ontario Technological Skills Competition in May!

Emily Collard,
Bilingual Liaison Officer

2011 Klaus D. Woerner Hall of Fame Recipients

2011-03-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

Skills Canada – Ontario’s Annual Fundraising Gala was held on March 4, 2011. A key feature of the event is the official induction of 6 individuals into the Klaus D. Woerner Hall of Fame.

About Klaus Woerner

The late Klaus Woerner, founder and CEO of ATS Automation Tooling Systems, was a gifted engineer, entrepreneur and business leader who made a significant and lasting contribution to the global automation industry. Thousands of young engineers and tradespeople around the world have benefited from his commitment to apprenticeship training. His sharp intellect, dedication to adding value through innovation, global insight and passion to succeed made him one of Canada's great entrepreneurs.

Since 2006, this award has been presented in memory of Klaus Woerner, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of skilled trades and technologies. Skills Canada – Ontario is proud to recognize the outstanding inductees listed below.

Left to right: Brian Mullen - Chair of the SCO Board of Directors, Clarke Hurley, Aldo Cianfrini, Kevin Graham, Gail Smyth, Hon. John Milloy - Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Astrid Kropp - daughter of Klaus Woerner, Dr. Charles Craig, Norm Fenton, Ken Mercer

EDUCATION RECIPIENT: Aldo Cianfrini, Education Officer, Ministry of Education

Aldo was nominated for the Klaus Woerner Hall of Fame by Dave Graves, from the Halton District School Board, and Audrey Cartile from the Ministry of Education. Dave and Audrey have cited Aldo’s vision for what is needed and the ability to turn ideas into realities as the key to Aldo’s many accomplishments.

Aldo is great example of where a skill can take you. He began his career as a carpenter before becoming a secondary school teacher. He later became a curriculum consultant, the CEO for the Centre for Skills Development, Founding Director of the Halton Learning Foundation and then in 2005 became an Education Officer with the Ministry of Education.

Throughout his career, Aldo's accomplishments have been based on a strong work ethic and a deep-seated commitment to skills training. He works selflessly to promote skills and technology because he believes in the importance of these to the country, to the province and to the individual. His success is a result of his excellent communication skills and his ability to speak to the issue and convince his audience to support initiatives. He can connect in this manner and establish his credibility with all types of audiences; political, education and business.

UNION REPRESENTATIVE: Clarke Hurley, Training Director of IBEW Local 105 Hamilton

Clarke Hurley has been the training director of IBEW Local 105 Hamilton for over 10 years. He currently manages and oversees the instruction of 193 apprentices. He has mentored over 1,000 apprentices through their five-year apprenticeship program. His commitment went over and above his employment as the training director. Clarke has also spent countless hours over the years volunteering his time to assist many young men and women when they needed guidance and educational assistance.

His nominators, Susan Boorman and Corina Hicks, believe that it is people like Clarke who selflessly volunteer their knowledge, enthusiasm, and guidance that inspire young people to reach their full potential. Some apprentices who were unsure if they had the stamina and fortitude to continue on the road of apprenticeship, were renewed with confidence instilled by Clarke.

The nomination was also supported by a testimonial from one of Clarke’s students, Jeff Grimshaw.

“I have known Mr. Hurley since I was an 18-year-old, first-year apprentice. Over the years I was required to attend safety courses at the training centre and I got to know Clarke very well. His hard work and dedication to apprentices and to teaching is inspirational. A couple of years ago, Clarke encouraged me to take part in the Skills Ontario Electrical Wiring Contest. To help me prepare, he set up some practice work at the training centre. Through his encouragement and guidance, I finished third in the province of Ontario at the Skills Competition. Clarke spends countless hours working hard to better improve our courses, schooling and to better improve our apprentices. I am proud to announce that I have recently received my 309A electrical license.”

ALUMNI RECIPIENT: Ken Mercer, Professor, Mohawk College

Ken has been sharing his knowledge of his skills to hundreds of students for over 20 years. His passion, patience and knowledge of the trade is an inspiration to all that have the honour to know him. His nominators feel that Ken’s greatest achievements are the hundreds of graduates that share his passion.

As a graduate of Conestoga College’s Industrial Woodworking Program, Ken got his license in the cabinetmaking trade and started his own business “Ken’s Cabinets.” He received his teaching certificate from Western in 1980 and started teaching at Mohawk College in 1983. In 2003, he was the recipient of Mohawk Colleges President’s Award of Excellence.

Ken has been involved with Skills Canada – Ontario since its inception in 1989 and has consistently been one of its strongest supporters, volunteering with the Cabinetmaking Contest for almost 20 years. As the Technical Chair for this contest, Ken dedicates his time and passion for the trade by getting students to participate and his colleagues to judge the contest. He ensures that each competitor has the tools they need to compete and the donated materials in order for competitors to keep their completed projects.

SECONDARY SCHOOL RECIPIENT: Kevin Graham, Consultant, Technology and Experiential Learning/Special Initiatives Facilitator

Kevin has been twice recognized for his continuing contributions to technological education. He is the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Technology and the Dick Hopkins Award of Excellence in Technological Education.

During the past thirteen years, under Kevin's direction, the District School Board of Niagara has expanded the opportunities for its students in technological education, specifically in the skilled trades, through a combination of initiatives including the Skills Event, Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Program, OYAP, Co-operative Education, ACE (Ambassadors for the Conservation of Energy) an SHSM partnership with the Ontario Power Authority, and DSBN an international cooperative education program with Habitat for Humanity – Global Village.

Kevin is unquestionably an inspiration to others in his tireless efforts to promote the advancement of skilled trades and technologies through inspiring and empowering young students and educators as well as creating awareness and connections in the community. Kevin is in fact quite humble about his achievements, but it is through his personal efforts, management of others, administration of major programs and his ability to inspire and motivate that such significant accomplishments have been made.

POST SECONDARY RECIPIENT: Norm Fenton, Dean, Durham College, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology

Norm is best described as an outstanding leader, mentor and champion to students, faculty and staff. He has been a champion of skilled trades and technology, constantly creating, developing and implementing new and exciting ways to attract students to the skills training fields.

Most notably, Norm was a key figure in establishing online learning at the Durham College’s Whitby Campus, which gave apprentices in Ontario’s remote northern communities an opportunity to receive practical training and introduced thousands more young people to careers in the skilled trades who might have been otherwise unable to study in this sector.

Through his own personal efforts, he pioneered online learning for Durham College’s Mechanical Technician – Maintenance and Control and Die/CNC programs as well as all three levels of the Millwright Apprenticeship program.

Norm has previously been recognized for his contributions to education when he received the Ontario Colleges Distinguished Service Award in 2008.

BUSINESS RECIPIENT: Dr. Charles Craig, Craig Reading Associates

Dr. Craig was nominated by Brian Tamblyn, President and CEO of Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario.

He first earned a general welding certificate from the Province of Saskatchewan, before completing his Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Science of Education from Syracuse University and a Doctor of Education from Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Craig’s contribution to the enhancement of trades training in Ontario has been entirely focused on the success of the learner. His efforts over the past twenty years of project, program and product development has lead to a greater understanding of the learning needs of those involved in the acquisition of technical skills both in the classroom and on the job.

This is evidenced in one of his key publications - The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities/Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology: The Pathways document for those entering high school, a review of Ontario’s high school curriculum against the competencies required for apprenticeship training.

Throughout his career he has held many senior roles, including Manager of Apprenticeship Training Programs for Georgian College, Manager of the Development and Delivery of Women in Skills Trades programs and as a proposal developer/writer then manager of projects in China, Russia, Indian, Iran and Bangladesh.

Congratulations to all of our 2011 inductees!

Skills Work!® On The Road - Sudbury

2011-02-10T21:11:00.000-05:00

Dinos and Saucers and Moose, Oh My!

The previous two Skills Work!® On The Road posts were contributed by our two most experienced Liaison Officers, Devon Turcotte from Woodbridge and William Howe from Peterborough. They told you about some of the more unusual experiences they have come across in their 9 combined years “on the road.” Since I have been on the road for less than a year, I haven’t experienced anything quite as extraordinary with school presentations. So instead, I’m going to tell you about some of the extraordinary things I came across recently while actually “on the road.”

My geographic region is the Near North, which is why I’m based out of Sudbury. A couple of months ago I went on my first multi-day, long-distance road trip to visit schools in the communities farthest away from my home. I planned out my trip to cover as much ground as possible in a week – I drove 1985 km in 5 days, and spent just over 22.5 hours in the car. That’s almost 400 km and 4.5 hours of driving each day!

Considering my region is the largest geographic area for a Liaison Officer, I must make several week-long trips during the school year. This trip included presentations at some very small schools in small towns (I presented to a class of 8 students in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8!), which made the trip very memorable, but one thing I didn’t expect on the trip was the amount of roadside attractions I encountered.

I had heard of the famous giant goose in Wawa (which I learned is not the only giant goose in town – my hotel had a giant goose on its roof and I saw a couple others around town), but little did I know that I was going to drive by some lesser known giants on my trip.

I saw a giant snowman in Beardmore, a pack of giant wolves attacking two giant moose in Hearst, a giant nativity scene in Kapuskasing and a full-sized replica of a giant dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, on the highway near Mattice!

Another fantastic sight I drove past was a flying saucer, proudly displayed outside the tourism centre in the town of Moonbeam. And of course, I almost forgot a giant roadside attraction that we have right here in Sudbury - the Big Nickel! These are just a few of the many roadside attractions around the province, which can showcase the personality of a town or region.

Next time you see a roadside attraction like these, remember that they were also designed, built and installed by people in skilled trade and technology careers! And I just love that I get to travel to new places while making sure that even the small towns in remote locations around our beautiful province get to hear our message about the myriad of opportunities that are out there in the skilled trades and technology! So follow your passion and do what you love, so you’ll always love what you do!

Mauricio Ospina

Bilingual Liaison Officer

Click here to see where Mauricio and the rest of the Liaison Team have travelled so far this school year!

Ms. Skills - From the Executive Director

2011-02-06T09:40:00.000-05:00

BUILDING FUTURES, ONE DREAM AT A TIME

Skills Canada – Ontario will host its 10th Annual Fundraising Gala on March 4

There have been countless articles written about the impending shortage of skilled tradespeople. In a recent edition of Maclean's, Canada’s most famous contractor, Mike Holmes was quoted as saying, “in 10 years, we’re going to be a million tradespeople short.”

Convinced yet? We have been convinced for over 21 years that young people can have a very rewarding future by choosing the skilled trades as a career path.

Enabling change requires action. We need to give our young people the opportunity to explore the skilled trades and technologies as career choices if we hope to strengthen our workforce, and develop the talent our province requires to stand out in a very competitive global economy.

On March 4, 2011, Skills Canada – Ontario will host its 10^th Annual Fundraising Gala, appropriately themed “Building Futures, One Dream At A Time.” It is always a very exciting evening that features dinner, live music, and a silent auction. This year, we will also incorporate a live auction into the evening.

The event was established by the Board of Directors to raise funds for the Skills Canada – Ontario Bursary, which provides financial assistance to competitors from Ontario that advance to the Canadian Skills Competition. It also provides assistance to students participating in other Skills Canada – Ontario programs where costs may be prohibitive.

We have countless stories of young people who have participated in programs offered by Skills Canada – Ontario who have gone on to have engaging, successful careers. Celebrating their success, as well as the success of other skilled tradespeople associated with our organization, is something we are very proud to share.

Our Fundraising Gala also features inductions into the Klaus D. Woerner Hall of Fame. The late Klaus Woerner, founder and CEO of ATS Automation Tooling Systems, was a gifted engineer, entrepreneur and business leader who made a significant and lasting contribution to the global automation industry. Thousands of young engineers and tradespeople around the world have benefited from his commitment to apprenticeship training. His sharp intellect, dedication to adding value through innovation, global insight and passion to succeed made him one of Canada's great entrepreneurs.

The Hall of Fame Awards recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of skilled trades and technologies. Since 2006, this award has been presented in memory of Klaus Woerner, a trailblazer for the skilled trades. Visit our website to see a list of past recipients.

We would be happy to have you join us at this exciting event. For information, or to order tickets, click here.

Gail Smyth

Executive Director, Skills Canada - Ontario

People’s Choice Award – Vote for your favourite Cardboard Boat Race video

2011-01-17T22:20:00.000-05:00

In conjunction with the Cardboard Boat Races each year, Skills Canada – Ontario offers students an exciting opportunity to showcase their technological and creative skills in a fun contest.

In teams of two, students from across the province film and edit videos that promote the Cardboard Boat Races. All footage is shot live at the boat races. Teams then have one month to edit and submit their videos, which are then judged by a panel of industry experts.

This year, Skills Canada – Ontario has introduced a new element to the Secondary Video Challenge: The People’s Choice Award!

While expert judges are analyzing the videos based on the criteria in the guidelines, the general public can choose their favourite to win the People’s Choice Award. Follow us on Facebook to find out when voting is open!

Note: You will need a YouTube or Google account in order to vote.

Voting Instructions:

1. Go to www.youtube.com/skillsontario to reach Skills Canada – Ontario’s YouTube channel.

2. There are two view options. If you look at the very right end of the channel bar, you’ll see you have the options of “Player View” and “Grid View.” Make sure you are set to Player View.

3. Click on “Playlists” in the channel bar. You will see one Playlist for the 2010/2011 Elementary Video Challenge and one for the 2010/2011 Secondary Video Challenge.

4. Watch the videos in either playlist, or both!

5. Click the “Like” button under your favourite secondary video to vote for it. You will be asked to either sign in using your Google or YouTube login, or to create one.

6. Get your friends voting too! The contest closes at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 4^th. The winning team will be directly notified by Skills Canada – Ontario.

Good luck to our participating teams!

Ms. Skills – From the Executive Director

2010-12-10T08:48:00.000-05:00

Ontario Improves Skilled Trade System

For the past 22 years we have been promoting careers in the skilled trades and technologies as viable, first choice career options for young people. We have had many wonderful success stories and have encouraged many students across the province to pursue a very rewarding career choice.

Despite these accomplishments our team still has a big mountain to climb – the mountain of misconception. How do we enhance the value, or importance, of skilled trade and technological careers in our society?

Careers in medicine, law, and education are respected career choices – as they should be, because they are important. But where would these professionals perform their work without qualified tradespeople to design, construct and maintain our hospitals, courthouses and schools?

Many of the professions mentioned above have a regulatory body, such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Nurses and the Ontario College of Teachers. These professional bodies have a very important function, such as issuing licenses, advocating on behalf of the profession, and improving the knowledge and skills of its members. It also gives these professions credibility and garners greater respect from the public.

In the Fall of 2009, the Government of Ontario established the Ontario College of Trades. The College of Trades will be a regulatory body that gives industry a greater role in recruitment, governance, certification and apprenticeship training. It will also give the skilled trades a professional regulatory body similar to teachers, doctors and nurses.

I was proud to have been one of nine industry leaders chosen to serve as the Appointments Council and interim Board for the Ontario College of Trades. The College will establish a framework of fees to support itself, and develop a complaints, enforcement and discipline system to govern its members.

As a member of the Council I was able to recommend that Kevin Piunno, a past competitor from the Ontario Technological Skills Competition, design a new website for the College.

Kevin, a 2nd-year student from Niagara College, has been competing at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition since he was a secondary school student at the Niagara District School Board. As a secondary school competitor, Kevin earned a gold medal in 2008 and a silver medal in 2009 in the Website Development contest. Kevin competed in Website Development again in May 2010 as a post-secondary school student, earning his second gold medal.

The Ontario College of Trades website (http://www.collegeoftrades.ca/) will be launched very soon. Good work, Kevin!

We know we still have a large part of the mountain to climb, however with the establishment of the College of Trades, we are one step closer to the summit.

For information on the College of Trades, visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/collegeoftrades/.

Skills Work!® for Women – Jessica Steffler, Civil Engineering Technologist

2010-12-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

One of the best hidden secrets about skilled trade and technology careers is that they often open doors to a variety of other career experiences. From business management and ownership, engineering or architecture to law and teaching, many journeypersons, technicians and technologists can find themselves in any number of different fields.

Jessica Steffler is just one of those people. A graduate of the Civil Engineering Technologist program at Conestoga College, Jessica always exhibited strong skills in math, and was introduced to the civil construction industry through her father. Civil Engineering Technologists have a wide range of duties, including design and preparation of construction drawings, planning and scheduling projects and conducting field and laboratory tests on soils, asphalt and concrete.

Despite enjoying the work, it didn’t take Jessica very long to recognize that there was a shortage of good, skilled workers, and one major barrier to filling those spaces: “the misconceptions that educators and parents have about working in careers in construction and skilled trades.”

After four years in the industry, Jessica started a new organization – the Ontario Civil Construction Careers Institute. As Director of the organization, her days are spent in extensive travel around Ontario, speaking to high school students about careers in civil construction, engineering and skilled trades. She also created the website, posters, literature and resources for guidance departments, allowing her to draw on her creativity and people skills.

In this position Jessica gets to travel and meet new people all the time. Every day is different, and she continually inspires students to try something new, and helps them get into apprenticeships. She would like to see the OCCCI expand significantly over the next five years.

Jessica has been involved with Skills Canada – Ontario for the last two years, promoting civil construction careers at our Summer Camp and Young Women’s programs. The similar aims between the two organizations created a natural partnership between the two organizations.

This fall, Jessica has mentored at a number of “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinners this year, the most recent being the Toronto Networking Dinner, held on November 23.

Skills Work!® for Women – Brenda Swystun, Project Manager

2010-12-03T14:30:00.000-05:00

Some people are lucky enough to pursue a career that fascinates and impassions them. Brenda Swystun is an even more fortunate person: the trades pursued her. “Sometimes I guess your path is laid out before you but it’s up to you to make the most out of the opportunity.”

As the former Plant Manager for Lafarge Concrete, Brenda secured the Sault Hospital foundations project, an undertaking that included a substantial amount of concrete with very specific requirements. She has been a part of the building materials industry since leaving high school.

These days, Brenda can be found at Huckson Plumbing and Renovations, working as a Project Manager. The organization focuses on residential renovation, which can be as simple as a tub replacement or as complex as a full kitchen renovation.

Her role involves her in all parts of a project, starting from estimates and sales, through material and labour scheduling to ensuring customer satisfaction at the end. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Brenda admits that she turned a few heads when she first started in the material building trades.

“Having a woman show up on a major commercial project seemed to create a bit of a work slow-down. I kept myself focused on my job responsibilities and eventually my customers came to respect my contributions to their projects.” Brenda was even recently elected President of the construction association in the Sault Ste. Marie area.

Despite all the knowledge she has gained about plumbing, drywall and interior finishing, and concrete manufacturing, Brenda’s most valuable skill is a surprising one.

“The most important skill I find I use on a regular basis is communication. Between the demands of supervising employees and dealing with the private sector I find that my verbal skills for either sales or managing the staff are my most powerful tool.” Over the next five years, Brenda hopes to increase the renovation projects that are taken on by Huckson, and strongly encourages other young women to pursue similar careers.

“Building things is not gender specific, it’s a natural talent. There’s an artistic component to any trade, you need to be able to visualize what you want and then don’t be afraid to try and make it. It may take a while but eventually you will possess the skills and knowledge to get the job done well.”

Brenda mentored students at the Sault Ste. Marie “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinner on November 25th.

Cardboard Boat Races and Video Challenge

2010-11-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

We’re often asked, “what’s a cardboard boat race?” The answer? It’s exactly what it sounds like!

The Secondary Cardboard Boat Race and Video Challenge is looming on the horizon and it’s going to be a blast! This year, we’re introducing the People’s Choice Award for the video challenge. All videos submitted will be posted on YouTube in mid-December, and voting will be open for two weeks. Here’s a taste of what’s involved for the boat race teams and a sample of what we’re looking for from the video teams:

For more info and guidelines, please visit: www.skillsontario.com/competitions.

And don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

Skills Work!® in Partnership

2010-11-20T11:02:00.000-05:00

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

-- George B. Shaw

While it is often taken for granted, one of the most difficult tasks in the world is actually transmitting an idea from one person’s head into someone else’s. Technology can help with this action, but nothing beats face-to-face meetings – everything else is a substitute, it is not something better.

One of the great strengths of Skills Canada - Ontario is its team of Liaison Officers spread out across the province. This dedicated group of young people spend their working days visiting schools, talking with teachers, talking with students and making presentations. They are the vanguard out in front, providing students with awareness of the virtual limitless possibilities of a career path in skilled trades and technologies.

The Ontario Mining Association has been an active partner with Skills Canada - Ontario for more than five years. Celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year, the OMA is one of the longest serving trade organizations in the country. We represent companies engaged in the responsible exploration, extraction and processing of Ontario’s mineral resources.

Like other sectors, mining foresees a future demand for technologically smart and skilled people. The flip side of this need for industry is boundless opportunity for young people embarking on training for future employment.

The OMA is proud to be a financial supporter of Skills Canada – Ontario. We believe in the mandate of Skills Canada - Ontario to promote careers in skilled trades and technologies as viable, first choice employment options for young people. However, in some ways being a partner with an educational organization is like being a member of a health club – the more you use it, the more you get out of it.

With this in mind, along with its financial support, the OMA contributes to many aspects of Skills Canada – Ontario:

The “Skills Work!^® What’s Out There?” in-school presentation program
The Skills Work!^® career profile publication
Exhibits and activities at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition,
The Cardboard Boat Races
Promotes general awareness of the need for technological skills, particularly in mining involvement.

More than 600,000 students benefit from the programs and activities of Skills Canada - Ontario facilitates every year, and the OMA is committed to build on this partnership.

Do you think you know mining? You might be surprised.

“Skills Work!® for Women” – Kristi Montovani, Landscape Designer

2010-11-19T12:02:00.000-05:00

Creativity is the name of the game for Kristi Montovani. She uses it to create beautiful living spaces for her clients, to learn the newest trends and technologies of her trade, and even to deal with everyday challenges as they arise.

A graduate of both the Landscape Technician and Arts and Design Fundamentals programs at Niagara College, Kristi is the General Manager of Snips Landscape & Nursery. Her work has multiple faces: designing landscapes, installation and field work, staff management, marketing and client relations. “The project I am probably most proud of was designing and installing the outer and interior landscape for the Niagara Catholic District Board Office in Welland.” Kristi gets to approach this ongoing project with some fresh ideas every year, and it opened the door to other projects with the school board.

Now that she is the General Manager at Snips Landscape & Nursery, Kristi has a big vision. Green roofs are becoming a significant trend in many Ontario cities, and Kristi is hoping to capitalize on that. “I would like to expand on our green roofing department and to broaden our use of other ‘green’ technologies. I want to be known as a pioneer in the ‘green’ landscaping industry!”

Kristi’s success didn’t come easily. There were barriers to overcome along the way, and many of them are ongoing obstacles. Being a woman in the industry was tricky to navigate, and her youth adds another element of challenge. “I have a lot of experience and training under my belt but it’s sometimes harder to be taken seriously. I have to stay confident and constantly prove myself.” Kristi also had to adjust to the fast pace, using that to develop excellent multi-tasking skills.

But it’s not like Kristi’s work is lacking fun. She thrives on that challenge to prove herself, she enjoys working with people, and her work offers a great deal of flexibility and variety. And at the end of the day, it all comes back to creativity, which Kristi ultimately gets to use so that her clients are surrounded by their dream living spaces. “Seeing the joy on a client’s face as their project comes to fruition is so rewarding.”

Kristi mentored students at the Niagara Networking Dinner on Thursday, November 18^th.

“Skills Work!® for Women” – Vanessa Hawkins, Tool & Tooling Maker/Machinist

2010-11-18T09:41:00.003-05:00

Plenty of girls look up to their big brothers, but Vanessa Hawkins can credit hers with introducing her to a career that she is now passionate about. “I knew I didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day and I knew I wanted to make good money.” Having tried one high school machining class, Vanessa accompanied her brother to Centennial College to check out the campus. Once she heard the instructors talking about machining and tool and die making, she was hooked.

Currently working for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Vanessa recently completed her four-year apprenticeship after completing the two-year Tool & Die program at Centennial, as well as a semester of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining. On a daily basis, Vanessa makes a variety of parts from a variety of materials – including plastics (Teflon, acrylic, peek, delrin) and metals (zirc, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, uranium). She sets up and operates a vast array of machinery and equipment such as CNC/Wire/design programs, lathes, mills, drill presses and band saws.

Vanessa considers finishing her apprenticeship and passing all the exams to be her biggest accomplishment, and it’s no surprise. Aside from the time and effort dedicated to the training, tooling is a skilled trade that demands patience and perfection. “Some parts take hundreds of hours and have to be perfect to within 0.0003 inches.” Anything less can result in thousands of dollars lost to the company.

Despite the challenges, Vanessa absolutely loves her work. It gives her freedom and security, and allows her to use her mind to solve problems, and her hands to design and build. She can even branch into other related trades fairly easily. “You’ll always be able to find a job or even start your own business. Skilled trades pay well and you get to have something to show for it at the end of the day. You can work anywhere. What’s not to love?”

Vanessa mentored students from the Renfrew County area at the first-ever Pembroke Networking Dinner on November 16th.

Skills Work!® On The Road – Peterborough

2010-11-12T09:33:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I headed south on Highway 28 to Cobourg. Now, driving is not unusual for me or my fellow Liaison Officers. Neither is visiting a high school to deliver a presentation. The difference in this case is that Brookside Secondary School is in a correctional facility for male young offenders. Hey, it’s not every day that I get to go to a prison.

I first went to Brookside about 5 years ago and have been back every year since. To deliver the presentation, I am set up in a classroom with between two and four students and then sent out via video feed to the 150 or so students across the campus. As someone who has presented to over 400 students at a time, two students is a nice change. After the presentation students are invited to call in to ask questions by phone.

The unique nature of this school is not what keeps me coming back year after year, it is the people. The teachers and staff at Brookside work in a very tough environment, yet they always seem to smile. They go above and beyond to reach out and help some of the most difficult students achieve their goals and offer them a wide variety of specialised programs in fields like masonry, culinary arts, furniture refinishing and graphic design.

This year one of the young men who was in the classroom with me spoke to me after the presentation. He said that he is on his way to becoming an apprentice electrician. He had already contacted his uncle about a placement and had downloaded the forms from the MTCU. He was close to completing his high school diploma and his time at Brookside. He told me that he had learned a lot while he was there, but he definitely wasn’t going to come back.

Because of students like him, I will.

William Howe

Liaison Officer

See where our Liaison team has been - visit our map here!

Skills Are Recognized

2010-11-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

Name: Jonathan Sinke

Hometown: Jordan Station, Ontario

Contest Area: Cabinetmaking

Being a world-class competitor will earn you many things. Like the opportunity to represent your country at the World Skills Competition, knowledge, and, of course, new skills!

Another benefit of being one of the best in the world in a skilled trade is the recognition that comes from this prestigious honour.

Jonathan Sinke, a third year Cabinetmaking apprentice and student at Conestoga College, feels that winning gold at both the Ontario Technological Skills Competition and Canadian Skills Competition has gained him recognition within his community which will help him when he starts his own business. “When potential clients see that I have won these skills competitions and what I have accomplished, even though I am young and don’t have 25 years of experience under my belt, it should help me to gain their confidence and trust.”

At Conestoga College, Jonathan is learning all the theoretical knowledge that comes along with the trade, in addition to hands-on training in the workshop which is equipped with all of the latest machinery. “This is great because many of us who work in smaller shops would not get the opportunity to work with some of the production machines, except through school.” After graduation Jonathan plans to write the Red Seal Exam which would certify him as a Cabinetmaker, and is recognized throughout North America.

In preparation for the World Skills Competition Jonathan has been training at night and on weekends while working fulltime and also attending a night course in small business studies. He is very excited to see the top young trades from all around the world. “I am sure each nation has their own way of doing things, but we will all be brought together working on the same project with the same desire to do our best.”

Jonathan says there are good job opportunities in Cabinetmaking and that there will be even more in the future. “Many of the competent tradesmen are now getting older and starting to retire and there are not enough young people with the skills needed to fill the gap.” If you’re a young person thinking about a career in the skilled trades and technologies Jonathan’s advice is to definitely pursue a skilled trade because your skills will be in demand in the future!

Grace Under Pressure

2010-11-09T12:17:00.000-05:00

Name: Adrian Schut & Benjamin Church

Hometown: Almonte, Ontario

Contest Area: Mobile Robotics

How many Grade 11 students from Almonte, Ontario can you think of that will be travelling across the Atlantic to compete against the best the world has to offer? We know two.

Adrian Schut and Benjamin Church are two of 35 young people that will be representing Canada at the 2011 World Skills Competition. To get there they won Gold at both the Ontario Technological Skills Competition and the Canadian Skills Competition.

The Mobile Robotics contest involves knowledge of fundamental principles, automation and electrical/electronic technologies. Using that knowledge, the competitors are required to construct and program a robot to undertake a variety of tasks. Success in this contest requires a lot of practice and confidence. To ensure they are ready for the challenge, Adrian and Benjamin have been spending up to 3 hours training every day. They anticipate on increasing that to 5 – 8 hours a day as the competition comes closer.

After all the hard work to prepare for the World Skills Competition, and experience gained from the OTSC and CSC, they are confident in their abilities to perform on the world stage. “The Ontario Technological Skills Competition has given me the confidence to perform under pressure and in a timed environment,” says Adrian. “This will also help me in any career I pursue.” Benjamin adds that through the OTSC he has become comfortable performing in front of an audience and gained experience competing as part of a team.

Although both have different career interests after high school, they are unified in one thing. The advice they would give to other young people considering becoming involved in Skills Canada – Ontario’s programs is to give it a try. “The OTSC is an awesome way to experience the thrill of the trades.”